Dear Reader,

It’s hard to believe that Tetsuya Wakuda did not set out to be a chef or to own his own restaurant. Yet, as acclaimed American chef Charlie Trotter writes in the introduction to Tetsuya’s cookbook, he is now “part of an elite group of international chefs, along with Fredy Girardet, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Ferran Adria and Thomas Keller, that has influenced other chefs through their personal styles and unique approaches to food.”
 
 
Q. Who has been most influential in your approach?
 
A. Probably the most influential person has been Armando Percuoco of Buon Ricordo‚ in Paddington.  We met 13 years ago and he invited me to try his food.  He took me into his kitchen and cooked for me. He also taught me a lot about the restaurant business, how to make people feel welcome, how it starts and ends with them. I would watch him interact with guests and staff and learn from him. Good food is not enough to make a successful restaurant. I really admire his philosophy. I also met Beppi Polese through him and have a lot of admiration for him.
 
Q. Where did you learn to cook?
 
A. My first job when I landed in Australia at the age of 22 was at Fishwives in Surry Hills. I then worked for Tony Bilson at Kinselas. He was looking for a Japanese chef who could make sushi and it was there that I started learning classical French techniques. I made up a lot of things along the way, and luckily for me, people liked the way it tasted.
 
Q. What is your culinary philosophy?
 
A.  I believe in using the very best and freshest of ingredients and in using a method of cooking – be it a marinade, slow roasting, braising – to obtain the best flavour from the produce.  Simply put, “don’t mess with it!”  I have also been a bit naughty because I encourage my suppliers to go out of their way to give me the ingredients I require, even if they can’t at first be sourced here.
 




 

 

Q. What is your favourite dish?
 
A. I love the taste and texture of the roasted squab which we often serve with buckwheat, shimeji and shiitake. I also love the veal which comes from Casino in northern NSW – it features in the grilled fillet of veal with wasabi and sea urchin butter.
 
Q. Are you enjoying your new premises in Kent Street?
 
A. I love the space. There’s nothing like it in the middle of Sydney.  It’s a beautiful restaurant. You can drive right into it.  The dining rooms overlook a serene Japanese garden with bonsai and a waterfall. Also, there are four kitchens. I love to build kitchens and to modify kitchen equipment.  It is my hobby, my obsession. The latest one was designed by me.
 
 
Q. Do you enjoy eating?
 
A. I love to eat any food but I have a soft spot for Italian. What I love to eat informs the way I cook.  All the food has to be good.
 

 

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