After the poke boom, Sweetfin goes bigger

A decade after helping define the poke bowl boom, L.A.-based Sweetfin is entering a new era. Founder Seth Cohen has tapped two-Michelin-starred chef Daniel Patterson to expand the beloved California-Asian concept beyond poke into warm grain bowls, roasted proteins and chef-driven salads. The goal: serve the modern “no-compromise” diner who demands flavor, health and value all at once. As Sweetfin prepares for national growth, Cohen shares how fine-dining technique, brand guardrails and scalability are shaping the next chapter.

—Interview by Kelly Dobkin, edited by Bianca Prieto

What inspired your decision to expand beyond poke as a brand? 

When we launched a decade ago, we were very focused on the poke category. But as the market evolved, we saw a clear shift in how our guests wanted to eat. Today’s consumer is looking for ultimate flexibility. They don't want to be boxed into a single protein or a cold-only menu; they want options that fit their mood, the weather or the specific time of day.

More importantly, there is a major shift toward what I call the 'No-Compromise' guest. People are no longer willing to trade off health for flavor, or flavor for a reasonable price. In the past, 'healthy' often meant bland, and 'flavorful' often meant heavy or indulgent. We saw a massive white space to bridge that gap.

By expanding into a more comprehensive menu, adding warm bowls, diverse cooked proteins like tri-tip and roasted chicken and elevated vegetable sides, we’ve created a destination where you can eat clean without it feeling like a chore. We’re using Michelin-level techniques to ensure the flavors are bold and exciting, while keeping the price point accessible for a frequent, everyday meal. It’s about giving the guest the freedom to choose exactly how they want to fuel their body without ever having to sacrifice the joy of a great meal.

What made you choose Chef Daniel Patterson specifically to reshape menu offerings? 

We didn't just want to add new items; we wanted to provide a legitimate 'facelift' to the culinary soul of the brand. Daniel Patterson is a Michelin-starred chef with an incredible point of view and world-class technique. I chose to work with him specifically because he understands how to elevate simple, high-quality ingredients into something complex and memorable. Bringing that fine-dining DNA into our kitchen allowed us to innovate in a way that felt sophisticated and distinct from anything else in the fast-casual space. 

(Photo credit Jakob Layman)

How do you expand beyond poke without diluting Sweetfin’s core brand identity, and what guardrails did you use to protect what made the brand successful in the first place?

The biggest challenge in expanding is avoiding brand dilution. To solve that, we established very clear guardrails: everything we create must fit within the 'California-Asian' flavor profile. We aren't trying to be everything to everyone; we are doubling down on what made us successful: chef-driven recipes and premium ingredients. By anchoring the new warm bowls and cooked proteins in the same culinary language as our poke, the expansion feels like a natural evolution of the Sweetfin brand rather than a departure from it.

How did you translate his fine-dining technique into a scalable fast-casual format?

Translating Daniel’s fine-dining approach into a scalable, 15-unit operation required a lot of intentionality. We had to take his sophisticated techniques, like how we prepare our tri-tip, salmon and roasted chicken—and distill them into 'form factors' that our team could execute consistently and quickly. It was about finding that sweet spot where we could maintain the integrity of a Michelin-starred chef’s vision while ensuring the speed and efficiency that our fast-casual guests expect.

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The Prep is written by Kelly Dobkin and edited by Bianca Prieto.