Dragon's Den investor Simon Woodroffe founded the restaurant chain YO! Sushi.
Woodroffe launched YO! Sushi in London in 1997, introducing a conveyor-belt dining concept inspired by sushi bars in Japan. Customers could watch plates move around the restaurant and select dishes directly, giving the business a distinctive visual identity as well as a fast-service model.
Woodroffe later became one of the original investors on the British version of Dragon's Den. His experience building a recognisable hospitality brand gave him practical insight into premises, customer experience, food operations and scaling a consumer business.
YO! Sushi is often confused with other Japanese-inspired or conveyor-belt restaurant brands. The crucial distinction is that Simon Woodroffe founded YO! Sushi. Wagamama, PizzaExpress and itsu are separate restaurant businesses with different founders and corporate histories.