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Made By Cooks
Chef Rafael Ubior's restaurant-grade Sesame & Ginger sauce — developed at SUR Barra Nikkei in Santurce, San Juan, brought to your kitchen by Hedman Soto.
Shop the Duo Pick a single bottleA Puerto Rican Chef, Trained in Lima
Most of the sauces on grocery shelves were developed by food scientists. A few were developed by chefs. Almost none were developed by a Puerto Rican chef trained at Lima's most celebrated Nikkei restaurants who came home to open the first Nikkei kitchen on the island.
That's Chef Rafael Ubior. His Sesame & Ginger sauce is a distillation of what he serves to guests at SUR Barra Nikkei in Santurce — Japanese precision, Peruvian citrus, Puerto Rican soul. Now bottled, small-batch, and shipped from Hedman Soto.
Two sauces, one bold profile
The signature sauce from SUR Barra Nikkei, and its habanero-laced sibling. Same chef, same kitchen, same commitment to honest ingredients — no MSG, no artificial colors, no shortcuts.
From SUR Barra Nikkei · Santurce, PR Same Nikkei sauce, with the habanero turned up. Chef Rafael Ubior — Lima-trained, founder of...
From SUR Barra Nikkei · Santurce, PR The signature sauce from Puerto Rico's first Nikkei restaurant — now bottled. Chef Rafael Ubior...
Or get both — Sesame & Ginger Duo
Both bottles in one set, save $2 versus buying individually. The easiest way to understand what Made By Cooks is actually about.
Shop the Duo · $22.00
Chef Rafael Ubior Serrati
Rafael Ubior grew up in Puerto Rico with no culinary pedigree — just the Food Network and an obsession that turned into a career. Self-taught, he started in 2008 working catering, then joined the opening team at Santaella in Santurce, one of San Juan's most acclaimed kitchens.
In 2017, he moved to Lima, Perú — the global capital of Nikkei cuisine — to stage at Astrid & Gastón (Gastón Acurio's flagship, widely considered one of South America's best) and El Mercado, Rafael Osterling's seafood temple in Miraflores.
He returned to Puerto Rico in 2019 and opened SUR Barra Nikkei in Santurce — the first Nikkei restaurant on the island. The signature Sesame & Ginger sauce served there is now bottled as the first product in his Made By Cooks chef cooperative.
Visit Chef Ubior's restaurant — Puerto Rico's first Nikkei kitchen, serving Japanese-Peruvian fusion grounded in island ingredients. Calle Cerra, Santurce, San Juan.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Chef Rafael Ubior?
Chef Rafael Ubior Serrati is a self-taught Puerto Rican chef who started his career in 2008, trained at Lima's Astrid & Gastón and El Mercado, and opened SUR Barra Nikkei — Puerto Rico's first Nikkei restaurant — in Santurce, San Juan in 2019. He founded Made By Cooks as a consumer-sauce extension of his restaurant kitchen and as a cooperative platform for other Puerto Rican chefs.
What is Nikkei cuisine?
Nikkei is the culinary fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cooking, born in Lima after Japanese immigration to Peru in the late 1800s. It blends Japanese precision and seafood techniques with Peruvian citrus, aji chilis, and ingredient traditions. Lima is considered the global capital of Nikkei cuisine — which is where Chef Ubior trained before opening Puerto Rico's first Nikkei restaurant.
Where are Made By Cooks sauces made?
The recipes are developed in Puerto Rico by Chef Rafael Ubior and a cooperative of local Puerto Rican chefs. The sauces themselves are produced in Florida, which allows for USDA-compliant shelf-stable manufacturing and reliable nationwide distribution. The label reads "Product of Puerto Rico (Made in Florida)."
Why is a Puerto Rican pantry brand carrying Asian-inspired sauces?
Because Made By Cooks is a Puerto Rican brand — founded by a PR chef, developed by PR chefs, with a restaurant story rooted in San Juan. The Asian-inspired flavor profile comes from Chef Ubior's training in Lima and his Nikkei restaurant. It's a PR brand that happens to make Asian-inspired sauces, not the other way around.
What's the difference between the Original and the Spicy sauce?
The Original is a balanced, aromatic sesame-and-ginger sauce — sweet, savory, gently warm. The Spicy version uses the same base with added habanero, giving it a fruity, forward heat. Both work across the same applications (marinades, dressings, stir-fries, dipping), but the Spicy shines brighter on grilled proteins and noodle bowls.
How do I use Made By Cooks Sesame & Ginger Sauce?
As a marinade for chicken, salmon, or tofu (30 minutes to overnight). As a dressing for cold noodle salads or slaws. As a stir-fry finisher added in the last minute of cooking. Or as a dipping sauce straight from the bottle for dumplings, grilled skewers, or crispy vegetables.
What's in the sauce?
Real ingredients: sesame oil, fresh ginger, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, a touch of honey, sesame seeds. The Spicy version adds habanero. No high-fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, no artificial colors, no MSG.
How long does a bottle last?
Each 8 oz bottle is shelf-stable until opened. After opening, refrigerate and use within about 6 weeks for peak flavor. Most households go through a bottle in 4–6 weeks of regular use.
Is it gluten-free?
Not currently — the sauce contains soy sauce, which has wheat. A tamari-based gluten-free version is in development with the chef.
How fast does it ship?
Most orders ship within 1–2 business days, with free standard shipping on orders over $60.
From SUR Barra Nikkei to your kitchen.
Grab a single bottle or the duo and have Chef Ubior's restaurant sauce on your shelf by next week.
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