In 1983, Wakuda met Sydney chef
Tony Bilson, who hired him to prepare sushi at Kinsela's in
Taylor Square. Wakuda says that Kinsela's was where he realised he wanted to cook, and discovered that he could. Wakuda left Kinsela's in 1983 and set up Rose's nightclub with one of the restaurant's managers. He worked as a chef there for a year.
Tetsuya Wakuda decided to start his own restaurant with his wife and opened Tetsuya in 1989, in Sydney's inner-west suburb of
Rozelle. The restaurant was remodelled in 1993, increasing seats to 65, with an expanded and re-fitted kitchen. In November 2000, Tetsuya's moved to a larger location in Sydney's
CBD.
Charlie Trotter said: "Tetsuya is part of an elite group of international chefs, that has influenced other chefs through their personal styles and unique approaches to food. His culinary philosophy centers on pure, clean flavours that are decisive, yet completely refined. His amazing technique, Asian heritage, sincere humility, worldwide travels and insatiable curiosity combine to create incredible, soulful dishes that exude passion in every bite." Tetsuya was awarded the
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the
2005 Queen's Birthday Honours "For service to the community and the development of Australian cuisine as a chef, restaurateur and author, to vocational training and to support for charitable groups." Tetsuya's went on to win many more awards, including the Australian Good Food Guide (AGFG) 4 Chef Hats in 2021.
Waku Ghin In 2010, Tetsuya's second restaurant,
Waku Ghin, opened in Singapore at
Marina Bay Sands with an offering of a 10-course tasting menu. In 2015, it was listed as #70 on
The World's 50 Best Restaurants. It was subsequently awarded one Michelin star in the inaugural
2016 Singapore edition of the
Michelin Guide and then two Michelin stars in 2017. It has maintained its two-star rating since 2017.
Wakuda In 2022, Tetsuya opened a restaurant at
The Venetian Las Vegas hotel in the Palazzo tower on the
Las Vegas Strip. The following year, Tetsuya launched Wakuda Singapore at Marina Bay Sands, in partnership with 50 Eggs Hospitality Group. The restaurant offers a menu combining Japanese flavors with global influences and is located within the hotel’s lobby area. ==References==