Sushi Confidential is proof that some of the best businesses start small. This one started in a living room, with folding tables from Home Depot and a jar for cash on the counter.
Today it’s a beloved South Bay brand with thriving locations in Campbell, San Jose, Willow Glen and downtown Morgan Hill, known for bold flavors, an energetic atmosphere and a founder whose warmth and creativity have shaped every part of the experience.
The Morgan Hill location, nestled on Monterey Road in the heart of downtown, has become one of the brand’s most beloved and community-rooted spots. Four and a half years in, owner Randy Musterer says he has learned just as much from this charming town as the town has learned to love his sushi.
A journey that started on fishing boats
Long before Sushi Confidential existed, Musterer was a Cal Poly student spending summers working on fishing boats out of San Diego. One afternoon while filleting tuna, he watched passengers lean over his shoulder and eat raw fish straight off his cutting board.
“I’m filleting fish and I’ve got passengers reaching over my shoulder eating raw, bloody tuna right off the cutting board,” Musterer recalls. “I’m like, ‘Oh God, what are you guys doing?’’’
They explained what sashimi was and mentioned they owned a nearby sushi restaurant.
Musterer stopped by, struck up a friendship with the owners and spent the rest of that summer bringing them fresh fish from the boat in return for free meals at the sushi bar. By summer’s end, he was completely hooked.
Back at college, a pricey sushi dinner with roommates sent Musterer looking for a better way to feed his new obsession. He started sourcing fresh fish himself from small coastal markets and making sushi at home, first for roommates and then for their growing circle of friends.
After graduating, Musterer moved to the Bay Area for a career in cancer research, spending 17 years at respected companies like Genentech and Johnson & Johnson. Two nights a week he moonlighted at a cozy mom-and-pop sushi spot, building a loyal following over a decade. Friends kept telling him he had a real gift and should open his own place.
So he did, in his own creative way. Musterer started to host pop-up sushi dinners at home, three nights a week, calling it “Underground Sushi” at first, half-joking about staying under the radar of the health department, eventually calling these parties “Sushi Confidential.”
In 2012, Sushi Confidential opened its first true location in downtown Campbell, and the response was immediate. Musterer kept his day job for two years, working mornings at the restaurant before heading to the lab.
“That’s when the restaurant gained traction, and it was becoming more profitable to where I was able to quit my job and do this full time,” he said. Later, in 2021, he opened his third brick and mortar location in Morgan Hill.
A brand built on heart
Musterer is quick to draw a line between a brand and a franchise, and it’s clear this is personal to him.
“To me, a franchise is a bad word,” he said. “I’m building a brand. I don’t franchise. I have my hands in every business location, checking in with staff daily and visiting their locations often.”
The lively atmosphere he built was inspired by everything traditional sushi spots were missing: personality, energy and a sense of fun. Sushi Confidential offers a full bar, great music and a generous menu that stretches well beyond sushi into teriyaki, ramen, udon and donburi, something for every craving.
The brand also adapts thoughtfully to each community. Morgan Hill’s warm, family-oriented crowd calls for a different vibe than downtown San Jose’s late-night energy, and Musterer embraces that.
Looking ahead, he hopes to grow to 10 to 15 locations he can personally and lovingly oversee before eventually partnering with a larger group to expand beyond the Bay Area.
A true part of the community
During the last four and a half years, Musterer has come to deeply appreciate how Morgan Hill blends longtime residents with newer arrivals, all united by a shared love of community events. The Friday Night Music Series draws a large part of the community downtown, so Sushi Confidential proudly sets up a pop-up booth with crowd-favorite poke and teriyaki bowls.
Once a month, the restaurant hosts “Sip and Sushi,” a delightful pairing of sushi with wines from local Morgan Hill wineries, a creative partnership Musterer says reflects just how many wonderful vineyards surround the area.
Giving back has become a true passion as well. Musterer now generously donates gift cards and dining experiences and partners with local schools on dine-out nights that send proceeds straight back to the classroom.
For Musterer, the restaurant business has never just been about the food.
“It starts with the customer truly,” he said. “But just as much it starts with the warmth of the employees who greet them with a smile.”
Ishq Kandhra is a rising freshman at the University of Pennsylvania.
