All aboard the Tetsuya train

Australia's favourite food blogger, Not Quite Nigella, aka Lorraine Elliott, delves into the psyche of one of the nation's finest restaurateurs.

When I turned 30 a few years ago (cough, cough) I had my first Tetsuya experience. I was dating Mr NQN at the time and he didn't care one jot about eating in fancy restaurants and, as anyone that has dined at Tetsuya's can attest, it is one of the pinnacles of cuisine in Sydney.

...Fast forward a few years later and I have been lucky enough to attend a cooking masterclass and another meal at Tetsuya's as well as visit his Singapore restaurant Waku Ghin… What I always wanted though was to ask him some questions – which I have now been lucky enough to do...



NQN: What did Tetsuya the boy want to do when he grew up?

Tetsuya Wakuda: I actually wanted to be a gunsmith, but I think I was fortunate that I found a career in cooking first!

NQN: Why were you attracted to Australia?

Tetsuya Wakuda: I grew up in a small town in rural Japan, and as a child I always dreamed of travelling and experiencing Western culture. When the time came in my early twenties, Australia was my destination.

NQN: I heard you mention at your masterclass that you are looking for a wife. Surely there is no shortage! What would a potential wife need to know about you?

Tetsuya Wakuda: She would need to know that I am married to my restaurants!



NQN: Why did you decide to make Waku Ghin a Japanese restaurant? What challenges are there to opening up a restaurant in Singapore as opposed to Australia?

Tetsuya Wakuda: I would describe Waku Ghin as being strongly Japanese-influenced, rather than a Japanese restaurant. I have had a long relationship with Singapore. It has been my favourite destination for years, and I have many friends who have encouraged and supported me in my dream to open a restaurant there. I have been fortunate to have the support of the Marina Bay Sands, which has eased many of the logistical challenges I might have faced. I have also been blessed by the ease of accessing produce in Singapore: they have much less stringent import restrictions than Australia, which means I can use ingredients from all over the world.

NQN: What do you want your legacy to be?

Tetsuya Wakuda: I hope my cooking has pleased people who have a love of food, and that I might have inspired others to become interested in food and cooking. I hope I can be remembered as someone who contributed to progress in gastronomy during my time, and who made a difference to the identity of Australian dining and recognition of our produce internationally. Most of all, I hope people just remember me as someone who loved what he did.

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