Nobody does it like Nobu: Bringing Japanese kaiseki to Singapore
We talk to Hirohashi Nobuaki, also known as Nobu, about how Singaporeans are taking to his Japanese offering at Kumo, a new kaiseki restaurant at Tanjong Pagar
Hirohashi Nobuaki is a licensed puffer fish chef, among his many talents.Since early this year Hirohashi Nobuaki -- endearingly called Nobu -- has been honing his culinary craft as executive chef of Kumo, a new kaiseki restaurant at Tanjong Pagar. The Osaka-bred chef once practiced with Kyoto’s kaiseki idol, Teiichi Yuki, founder of the Kitcho group of restaurants, before running his own kaiseki restaurant in Osaka. Now in Singapore, we caught up with the tall and chiseled chef to find out how Singaporeans are taking to kaiseki cuisine.
CNNGo: You’ve worked with the highly revered Teiichi Yuki for six years. Tell us about what you did as an apprentice with the Kitcho group. Was it tough?
Chef Nobu: It was definitely tough as I had 10 colleagues joining at the same year, but after a year I only had three colleagues left. During my first year, my boss tasked me with cleaning up the kitchen all the time. I couldn’t cook anything. But it was the best way to learn cooking because I could observe and learn from all the chefs in the kitchen.
CNNGo: After leaving Kitcho, you started your own kaiseki restaurant called Unshin. What was the most outrageous off-menu request you’ve received at Unshin?
Nobu: “Very cheap budget…”
A traditional kaiseki spread.
CNNGo: Why did you uproot from Osaka ?
Nobu: Unlike traditional Japanese who like to stay in Japan, I wanted to bring the Japanese culture out of my country. I was looking for an overseas opportunity to showcase my culture to others who would learn to appreciate it.
CNNGo: Is Kumo’s cuisine and menu a direct copy of Unshin’s?
Nobu: It is a modification of Unshin’s menu, with a touch of local ingredients, although most are Japanese ingredients.
CNNGo: What kaiskei menu will you create with a budget of US$500 per pax (based on summer season)?
Nobu: I will create an eight-course kaiseki menu featuring:- Appetizer: Japanese abalone steamed for four hours and jyunsai (shoots of water shield) with Japanese sweet tomato amera
- Soup: bonito stock with hamo (pile conger eel) and homemade sesame tofu topped with sliced green yuzu
- Sashimi: Japanese lobster and sea urchin from Hokkaido
- Iimushi: brazed anago (salt water eel) with glutinous rice
- Yakimono: wagyu beef with Japanese fig sauce
- Takiawase: deep-fried kamo nasu (Kyoto egg plant) with kuruma ebi (live prawn) and manganji (Japanese sweet pepper)
- Rice: steamed rice with grilled ayu fish
- Dessert: Japanese peach with lemon sorbet
CNNGo: We heard that you are licensed to serve puffer fish. What does the process of obtaining a license entail? How would you serve puffer fish in a kaiseki meal?
Nobu: I got my license at the culinary school. Normally going to the culinary school comes first, but I went to the culinary school only after working for six years. I wanted to learn about other kinds of cooking first. So for me, it was much easier to get my license.
As the puffer fish has a light taste, I can use it for any of my dishes like appetiser, sashimi, grill, etc.
CNNGo: Singapore is a metropolitan city with affordable street food available everywhere. Kaiseki, on the other hand, is an ancient cuisine and highly ritualistic. Do you think Singaporeans will warm up to kaiseki cuisine?
Nobu: So far, I can say that Singaporeans enjoy the kaiseki cuisine. However, it will take slightly more time for them to gain experience and knowledge. Only then will they be able to enjoy it more, as it would be more of an interest to them.
