Cuisine focus: Japanese

Have you noticed any increase or decrease in popularity of Japanese cuisine in the region?
Nadine Lamak, operations manager, Chez Sushi: I have definitely noticed a large increase in the popularity of Japanese cuisine in the region. Both locals and expats love Japanese cuisine and we find with people increasingly on the lookout for healthy options, Japanese cuisine fits that need as it is light, healthy and tasty.

Layne Nguyen, general manager, Nobu, Four Seasons Hotel Doha: It has increased. Prior to opening in Doha, there were only a handful of Japanese restaurants available, and none of the same calibre as Nobu. It is nice to showcase a specific Asian cuisine in a region where most just lump them all together as one. 

Markus Thesleff, co-founder, Okku: Although Okku still receives high demand for its cuisine, the demand for traditional Japanese cuisine seems to be on the decrease at the moment with the public veering towards more unique and regional takes on Japanese dishes. In the UAE there has been an over-saturation of this cuisine of late.

What have you noticed is the latest trend in Japanese cuisine?
Song Kyeonghun, chef de cuisine, Kazu, Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi: Simplicity. Guests are now looking for lighter and simpler dishes with less sauces and spices. The Japanese cuisine is only as good as the ingredients used which, by standard, should be nothing less than exceptional.

Lamak: Custom-built rolls are popular. At Chez Sushi, people can custom-build their maki rolls, so our guests can choose their wrap and rice, the main ingredients, the vegetables and then the toppings/dressings.

Nguyen: Sake is gaining in popularity as more high quality versions are being brought into the country. People are interested in the finer points of this classic Japanese beverage. 

Fabio Nakazato, corporate chef, Mikado Café & Bakery: The new trend is toward less fusion. Nowadays we see lots of fusion and the taste buds cannot even recognise what is been used as ingredients. Japanese chefs know well how to enhance natural flavours from dishes and not transform the original flavours to something very different. A good apple is so good by itself; it does not need anything to make it better. The same goes for good fish and good rice — it just needs care in preparation.

Rainer Becker, founder, Zuma: At Zuma we find Japanese cuisine is constantly evolving — too fast to determine trends. We menu engineer every week to keep delighting our guests. 

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What challenges do you face, if any when it comes to Japanese cuisine?
Kyeonghun: Our daily roles as chefs can be challenging, with a number of restaurants opening everyday specialising in both Japanese and Asian cuisine. Indeed, we are always working on developing and refreshing our menu as mentioned previously. So far, our day-to-day goal or challenge is to make sure we leave our guests with a memorable, unique impression of the food.

Lamak: One challenge is freshness. As we deal with raw fish and several other fresh ingredients, we have to ensure that they are fresh. We also need to maintain consistency of all products used.

Thesleff: Suppliers in particular are trying to extract larger than normal margins for this product category due to perceived value and this can result in a continued lack of original product availability.

Becker: When the menu is so simple, we have to ensure the freshest and highest quality produce. Getting this into the Middle East can be expensive.

Do you rely on importing ingredients or local products used?

Nguyen: We rely on importing a majority of our products from outside of Qatar. Obtaining specific Japanese ingredients is difficult and even if we are able to locate them, the cost of bringing them into Qatar doesn’t always make sense from a business perspective. 

Kyeonghun: Most of the seafood items are imported from other countries but I will always use local products where possible if it works with the dish we are creating.

Lamak: The food markets in Dubai offer a large choice of fresh products such as local fish, seafood, vegetables and fruits. Of course, we still have to import a few Japanese ingredients that are unavailable here to ensure our guests can enjoy the authentic taste and experience of Japan.

Nakazato: We always prefer to go local especially for fish, vegetables and dairy. But for the vast majority we have to use suppliers that import from Japan and Europe. It is a pity that the waters in the UAE are warm and we cannot make greater use of the local fish to serve in sushi and sashimi. But for cooking, it is good and you always can find fish very fresh in the local fish markets.

Thesleff: Imported — we rely on the strong relationships we have with suppliers from Japan. Okku’s head chef Hugh Sato Gardiner headed to Japan in March to check on suppliers, to assess both the quality of what is coming to us, but also to nurture relationships with them.