Tetsuya Wakuda on plans after closing iconic Sydney restaurant Tetsuya’s

ONE of Tetsuya Wakuda’s fondest memories of his iconic Sydney restaurant Tetsuya’s dates back to 1999, when Japanese whisky brand Suntory approached him with an offer to relocate from its original Rozelle address to its current, more upscale location.

“The journey from that initial conversation to the grand opening in 2000, and the outpouring of love and support from patrons over the years made it a cherished chapter for me,” recalled the celebrated chef who became an Australian institution with the eponymous restaurant that he opened 35 years ago in 1989.

His worst memory, of course, must be his decision to close Tetsuya’s permanently on Jul 31, which was reported in Sydney earlier this week after plans to relocate the fine dining Japanese-French restaurant fell through.

Its Kent Street premises were slated for redevelopment, which meant that Tetsuya’s had to move out by the end of July. “We had been in discussions with a potential new partner for more than 18 months, but as we progressed, it became apparent that our visions for the future were not aligned,” Wakuda explained. “It reached a point where continuing down this path would not be feasible.”

Speaking from Sydney where the restaurant’s phone has been ringing off the hook with people rushing to make reservations before its last day, Wakuda said: “It feels like the end of an era and naturally there’s a sense of emptiness and sadness. This is where I began my culinary journey and built my reputation.”

The story of how the Shizuoka-born Wakuda came to Sydney as a backpacker in 1982 knowing little English and with limited cooking experience is well-documented. He was hired by chef Tony Bilson to make sushi at the latter’s Sydney restaurant, while Wakuda in turn learnt classical French techniques from him. He opened Tetsuya’s in the inner suburb of Rozelle, where he wowed diners with creations such as his signature kombu-crusted ocean trout confit – said to be the “most photographed dish in the world”. In 2005, he was presented the Medal of the Order of Australia for his work in developing and promoting the country’s cuisine.

With the closure of Tetsuya’s, Wakuda – who has restaurants in Singapore, Las Vegas and Dubai – will see his presence in Australia significantly reduced, although he still has other smaller ventures there. “For instance, there’s the spanner crab meat and seafood business which is managed by a close friend and partner, which is more of a passion project than a full-fledged business for me,” he said.

Also, “we have the Tetsuya products line, which has been overseen by a dedicated member of my team, Marco, who has been with us for many years”. “However, Marco is nearing retirement age so we will be winding down the operations as well.”

While he remains “open if the right opportunity presents itself in Australia”, his focus now is on his overseas ventures. “I am heavily involved in overseeing Waku Ghin and Wakuda in Singapore, as well as Wakuda in Las Vegas and Segetsu in Dubai, which have recently opened their doors.”

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News reports in Sydney had indicated that staff uncertainty over the relocation led to the departure of its executive chef in February. 

However, now that the direction is clear, Wakuda is committed to supporting the staff in their next steps. “I’ll be reaching out to industry friends to open doors for my team members, and if any of them have a wish list of where they would like to move on to, they can count on me to help make those connections. Jul 31 marks the final day of operations and while it’s the end of this chapter, I’m optimistic about the new paths that lie ahead for all involved.”