Table Talk

Come to Sushi Hibiki for the food, stay for scintillating conversations with its chef

Dining at Sushi Hibiki promises to be a lively experience, and not just because of its expertly curated omakase menu. As it turns out, owner and executive chef Makoto Saito

Sam loves interacting with his guests; one could even say that he possesses the gift of the gab.

The Tokyo-born chef is more than happy to converse on any subject, and you can always tell he’s smiling from behind his face mask. The affable chef may not speak perfect English but his passion and enthusiasm are so infectious, you can’t help but feel drawn to him.

It is during one of these exchanges that Makoto reveals, surprisingly enough, that he used to live a sheltered life. He had never left Japan until he was 35. He laughs, “I just stayed in my restaurant, concentrating on cutting my fish. My customers used to say to me, ‘Why do you live in such a small world?’ So I decided to pack my bags and go to Australia. I was so nervous, I couldn’t sleep on the flight all the way there. I had no job lined up so I didn’t know what was going to happen to me.”

He did find a job in Sydney quickly; after all, he had already amassed 20 years of experience in making sushi. He quickly made a reputation for himself in the Land Down Under. Years later, he left to work in Italy, then Israel, before settling down in Kuala Lumpur in 2014.

Of all the places he has worked in, including the prestigious The Ritz-carlton Kyoto, Makoto cites Kuala Lumpur as his favourite. “The people are friendly and there’s a widespread appreciation for Japanese cuisine,” he says, adding that there’s nothing he loves more than bringing joy to his customers via his food.

“It doesn’t matter what race or culture you are, or what job you have. At the sushi counter, everyone sits next to each other at the same level. Sometimes people start a meal as strangers but end it as friends. That’s what I love most about my job,” Makoto declares.