HOW ARAKI ROLLS

壽司大師的尋味旅程

The restaurants that have impressed a master sushi chef啟發江戶前壽司大師荒木水都弘的餐廳

CHEF MITSUHIRO ARAKI

is the only sushi master in history to have won three Michelin stars for his eponymous establishments in both Tokyo and London. In December 2019, the itamae

(sushi chef) opened his latest outlet in Hong Kong, bringing his revered omakase – chef’s

choice – experience to House 1881 in Tsim Sha Tsui. Here, guests have a rare chance to interact with the sushi specialist at the intimate 12-counter restaurant – but

don’t expect a masterclass:

‘The last thing I want to do is to tutor my customers like some

“sushi expert”,’ says Araki.

‘The most important thing is to ditch preconceptions

and embrace customers’

preferences. It is meaningless to show them how much I know about Edomae sushi if

they don’t find my sushi tasty:

the sushi world is as simple as

that.’ Here, Chef Araki shares

six restaurants around the world that have inspired him on his culinary journey. 1

FOOK LAM MOON, HONG KONG

During his first sojourn in Hong Kong in 2011, Araki paid a visit to Fook Lam Moon. ‘They excel in all sorts

of cooking skills: steaming, stewing, braising – you name it. I was amazed by the variety and quality of local ingredients in Hong Kong – mantis shrimp,

garoupa fish, clam and cuttlefish.’ It inspired the

chef in his own cooking.

‘A significant proportion

of ingredients used in my Hong Kong restaurant are sourced directly from local

fishermen to create Edomae sushi,’ he says.

fooklammoon-grp.com 2

ENOTECA PINCHIORRI, FLORENCE

Enoteca Pinchiorri is the only three Michelin-starred restaurant in Florence

– and a place Araki had

three exceptional gourmet experiences. ‘I was truly immersed in the authentic

tastes of Italy. Although

they serve mainly pasta dishes, the menu is full of

surprises,’ he recalls of the

restaurant, which occupies a Renaissance-era palazzo.

Chef Araki repaid the favour: Enoteca Pinchiorri’s executive chef Annie Féolde

and her husband Giorgio Pinchiorri are frequent diners

at The Araki in Ginza, Tokyo.

enotecapinchiorri.it

3

L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON, PARIS

Joël Robuchon made a legend out of ordinary mashed potatoes. Of the French master chef’s haute cuisine kingdom, Araki favours the Etoile outlet near the Arc de Triomphe. ‘I asked Robuchon for advice on my overseas expansion when I was running The Araki Ginza. He told me to look to London, New York or Hong Kong,’ he recalls. ‘I chose London first because my

daughter was studying there. Hong Kong is my next stop.’

atelier-robuchon-etoile.com 4

NOBU, NEW YORK

Hailed as the ‘god of washoku’ – traditional Japanese cuisine – Nobu Matsuhisa is credited with introducing the US to Japanese cuisine in the 1980s, first in Los Angeles

before launching Nobu in New York with Robert De Niro in 1994. ‘Of all Japanese chefs who run restaurants away from home, chef Matsuhisa inspires me with his unprecedented prominence and presence on the international scene,’ says Araki. ‘He is like my mentor’.

noburestaurants.com 5

PER SE, NEW YORK

Thomas Keller’s contemporary AmericanFrench fusion joint offers

two nine-course menus each day – a chef’s tasting menu and a vegetarian menu, with no single ingredient repeated at any point within the meal. ‘The dining experience is stunning, with excellent service too,’ says Araki.

thomaskeller.com/perseny 6

SUSHI KIYOTA, TOKYO

Revered as the Mecca for sushi aficionados, Sushi

Kiyota was the restaurant where Araki honed his skills under legendary secondgeneration owner Niitsu Takeaki, before launching his own restaurant. The rich variety of tuna sushi dishes served at The Araki is a nod to Sushi Kiyota’s famous tuna, in all its fatty goodness.

6 Chome-3-15 Ginza, Tokyo

I ASKED ROBUCHON FOR ADVICE. HE TOLD ME TO LOOK TO LONDON, NEW YORK OR HONG KONG