David Gutierrez Mora; Restaurant Cook

David Gutierrez Mora, 25, of Oxnard died Wednesday at a local hospital after an auto accident.

He was born Jan. 15, 1972, in Yahualica, Mexico. For the last three years, Mora was a cook at Sushi Ichiban restaurant in Port Hueneme.

Restaurant co-owner Eiko Hirata said Mora was a hard-working cook who took pride in his work.

“He was a very nice guy and a good worker, and all the customers liked him,” Hirata said.

Hirata and her husband, Ichi, met Mora seven years ago, when he was a dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant. Ichi Hirata was a cook at the restaurant, and he and Mora became close friends.

“David was like my husband’s younger brother. They were so close,” Hirata said.

Mora learned to cook in the Japanese style, and when the Hiratas decided to open a restaurant of their own, he asked for a job.

“He made good Japanese food. He had six years of experience. He made good tempura and also excellent miso soup. Many customers said his miso soup was the best in town,” Hirata said.

Hirata said Mora’s most endearing trait was his kindness. “We’re not going to find any more like him.”

“My husband will go to Mexico every year to visit him, to visit the cemetery and see his family,” Hirata said.

Mora is survived by a brother, Daniel, of Oxnard, and his parents, who live in Mexico.

His body will be taken back to Mexico for burial.

Arrangements are under the direction of Garcia Mortuary in Oxnard.