A new chapter for Tetsuya Wakuda

A WAKUDA by any other name would cook just as well. Be it Waku Ghin or Wakuda, fans of Tetsuya Wakuda will get a second helping of the acclaimed chef's cuisine when his eponymous new restaurant opens on Apr 17.

It's been a long delay, thanks to Covid-19 disruptions, but it's finally all systems go for his first joint venture with the US-based 50 Eggs hospitality group.

Located in the lobby of the Marina Bay Sands hotel - which also houses the refurbished 2 Michelin-starred Waku Ghin that reopened in early 2021 - Wakuda is a multi-concept eatery designed to appeal to a wider clientele, from casual diners to those willing to shell out for a full-fledged omakase experience. It will comprise a bar and lounge area, main dining area featuring a sushi bar and open kitchen, and a private space for high-end dining. For its soft-opening, it will open only for dinner.

The veteran chef says: "Our location at the bustling Marina Bay Sands hotel lobby means that we will see a more diverse dining crowd, so we envision the restaurant to be less formal, more fun, and approachable.

"I'm always looking to bring something new to the table." He says of his inspiration for Wakuda: "I've often thought - how can I share my food with even more people, yet continue to live out my passion and uphold quality that can stand the test of time? With Wakuda, I feel like I've come full circle. It's a blank canvas for me to dream up new possibilities and showcase the evolution of my work to date."

While true to Japanese tradition, he describes Wakuda as a forward-thinking restaurant inspired by seasonality. "I tell my team that we want to bring diners innovative dishes that are familiar, but done in our unique style. We will be opening with an a la carte menu including classic zensai (appetisers), Australian and Japanese oysters, sashimi, Wakuda-style sushi, tempura, rice bowls and cold soba, as well as high-quality plates of yakimono (grill) and house-made ice creams. It will be an extensive menu compared to what we serve at Waku Ghin."

Helming the kitchen will be Waku Ghin alumni executive chef Sufian Zain and chef de cuisine Suzuki Masaya.

Wakuda adds: "One of my favourite spaces is the open concept hot kitchen, where we manage the grills and fryers. Guests seated at the adjacent dining room will get to witness the live action up close. There is also a marble sushi counter in the main dining room, against a backdrop of a beautiful Japanese maple tree, where our chefs assemble a wide range of sushi and cold dishes."

The cocktail bar is close to Wakuda's heart too.

"Once, I was asked what I would choose to be if I were reborn. (I would say) 'a cocktail bartender'. So you can imagine that the bar is going to be another space for us to be experimental and dream up new combinations." While the cocktail programme will feature Japanese and local ingredients, the sake advocate will also offer "close to 100 labels of sake, including those produced in small batches by sake artisans exclusively for us". These include a batch that has been brewed in Shizuoka and Toyama since the autumn of 2021 and will be served to guests.

The design of the restaurant displays attention to detail. Designed by the Rockwell Group, it captures the contrast between traditional Japan and street-smart urban Tokyo. Taking pride of place is an original artwork by Japanese street artist Jun Inoue aptly titled The Ingredients That Arrived. Installed on the ceiling of the main dining room, it makes use of infinity mirror panels and LED lighting to create a canopy that echoes a bamboo forest. Another artwork, In His Hands, is a striking mural in bright crimson with dramatic brush strokes. This contrasts with the liberal use of dark wood and cherry blossom motifs in the omakase room, and the gold-leaf wall panels in the bar.

The Singapore restaurant is a precursor to Wakuda Vegas, which is set to open at The Venetian Resort under the joint venture with 50 Eggs.

"You can expect a certain level of edginess and modernity in the overall dining experience," says Wakuda. "The Group is all about bold concepts and pushing the envelope - I'm excited to work with them in Singapore and Las Vegas."

And for diners, it'll mean seeing a brand new side of him as a chef.