Simon Woodroffe founded Yo! Sushi before becoming an original Dragon on Dragon's Den.
Yo! Sushi opened in London in 1997 and became known for serving Japanese food from a moving conveyor belt. The restaurant concept used theatrical presentation and a distinctive self-service format to make sushi more accessible to a wider British audience.
Woodroffe's success with the restaurant business helped establish his reputation as a creative entrepreneur. He joined the original British Dragon's Den panel when the television programme launched in 2005, alongside Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh and Doug Richard.
Yo! Sushi is sometimes confused with other British casual-dining brands because many famous restaurant founders later appeared in business media. The important distinction is that Woodroffe founded Yo! Sushi; he did not found PizzaExpress, Pret A Manger or Wagamama.