TETSUYA

It was one windy Saturday afternoon back in Autumn 1981 when we were taken by Powders, my Mentor, to a small but already renowned 'new' restaurant in Rochelle, a Sydney suburb.  We started around 1pm and it was dusk when we stepped out.

Two introductions were made to Dora and I, life changing ones I should add.  Firstly, heavenly sweet Pacific Oysters from Tasmania topped with a splash of sake, finely chopped shallot  and chives garnish.  Secondly, we met the creator of the recipe, Tetsuya Wakuda himself who 'sat down for a chat and walked us to the door' ...  

Fast forward 32 years I just watched 'daman' being interviewed in the High Flyer Series on Bloomberg, to coincide with the opening of his restaurant in Singapore. The one remark that caught my attention was "above all else a chef must have a passion to eat!".  I think on this score, alone, I qualify. Never trust a skinny chef is once again validated, by yet another top name. Forever modest he attributed his lightning escalation up the professional ladder ... just 7 years from a kitchen hand to opening Tetsuya in Rochelle ... to changing times and the readiness of Aussie palates for cultural interplay. That said, Tetsuya still puts fusion cooking at arms-length, and I am in complete agreement.  A humble celebrity chef is difficult to come by these days and if you have access to Bloomberg, watch it.  The interview should be used as a primer for aspiring young chefs, to reset the ground rules.

Post script : we hosted Russ and Julia back to Tetsuya palacio in downtown Sydney recently, to thank them for our baptism. That Rochelle evening reappeared without losing a beat, those oysters were the first to land on our plates, just as outstanding and just as delicious ... well done Wakuda-san, you are the best!