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From a young age, I was quick to discover my deep appreciation and passion for cooking. I recall most of my childhood helping my mother prepare home cooked meals to feed my family, neighbours, and friends alike in my hometown in Japan. I enjoyed cooking and with time, I realized and understood how food can inspire a sense of fulfilment and happiness for whomever I serve. With this understanding, I was motivated to start early in learning how to become the best chef that I can be. 

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During high school, I first began working at one of the biggest Japanese family style restaurant in Osaka to learn cooking at a more professional level outside of my home. As most chefs, I started my way by washing dishes, bussing tables, and taking orders. Within a year, I was soon the youngest chef at the restaurant to learn teppanyaki cooking, serve, and entertain guests. In 1998, I pursued a job in Berkeley, California at Kirala, an upscale Japanese family restaurant that served Japanese cuisine and specialty rubata grill. In Berkeley I got to experience the different interpretations of Japanese cuisine to adapt to the regional and cultural tastes. I learned how many of the local western Japanese restaurants had a preference to include menu items with local tastes, ingredients, bold flavours and strong colours that are not often seen in traditional Japanese cuisine.

 

The following ten years, I returned to Japan to work at a traditional Kaiseki restaurant. In Japanese, Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course set dinner that subtly and carefully balances the taste, texture, and appearance of food while using only fresh local and seasonal ingredients.

 

After my time working at the Kaiseki restaurant in Japan, I decided to pursue one of my biggest childhood dreams: to become a restaurant owner and chef in Australia. My childhood dream started when I first visited Australia on a tour when I was 10 years old. While watching the Halley’s comet, I imagined that I would be living in Australia in the near future. In 2008, I returned to Australia to work as a Teppanyaki manager while working at multiple takeaway spots to get hands on experience and learn how to manage a restaurant business. This 6-year experience allowed me to increase my confidence in business management and a step towards owning my restaurant business. In 2015, I purchased New Sushi Maru, where I am stationed at the moment.  

 

My experience in the culinary industry has been thus far an exciting one and I know it will continue to be so. My outlook for my culinary career in the future is a combination of what I learned from my past work experiences. I want to serve authentic Japanese food that is accessible and suitable for the regional taste preferences and palate. My work in the culinary industry begins here. I have many projects planned that I plan to share with you very soon. Stay tuned for more!