, Head Chef of Waku Ghin in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, has been named the 2015 recipient of The Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award.The honour is part of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards programme,sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.Chef Wakuda will be presented with his award at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurantsawards ceremony on 9th March 2015 at Capella Hotel, Singapore. Acknowledging the award, Wakuda said: “I feel fortunate to be a part of thisindustry. I have learned from, and been inspired by, all the chefs and friends I havehad the pleasure of knowing over the years. To receive this acknowledgement froman esteemed panel of industry experts is so humbling, and I’d like to thankeveryone who helped me along the way.”
The Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award is voted for by members of TheDiners Club® Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, comprising over 300 leadersin the restaurant and culinary industries throughout Asia.As the Head Chef of Waku Ghin and Tetsuya’s in Sydney, Wakuda has earnedacclaim for creating stellar Japanese dishes that also incorporate Frenchtechniques and ingredients – two cuisines celebrated for their strong traditions,subtle flavours, and vastly different approaches. Integrating elements from thecomplementary cuisines, Wakuda strikes a delicate balance that respects theheritage of both, while emphasising pure, natural flavours.
Opened in 2010, Waku Ghin in Singapore ranked No.7 on Asia’s 50 BestRestaurants 2014 list, rising four places from the previous year, and No.50 on TheWorld’s 50 Best Restaurants rankings. Originally a practitioner of traditional Japanese cuisine, Wakuda’s culinary styleevolved after he left his native Japan for Australia in 1982, eventually joiningSydney’s iconic Kinsela’s restaurant. At Kinsela’s, he honed his classicaltechniques under the mentorship of award-winning chef Tony Bilson.
In 1989, Wakuda opened Tetsuya’s in Sydney and earned universal acclaim from critics, prompting the Sydney Morning Herald to enthuse that “Wakuda hasmaintained an almost implausibly high standard for other Sydney restaurants tomatch….[At] each step there’s subtlety, precision of flavours and mystery. Thisreally is magical dining.” Between 2002 and 2010 Tetsuya’s appeared every yearon The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, earning a highest-place ranking at No.4 in2005.
William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants said: “Chef Wakuda’sgenius lies in the deep sophistication but apparent simplicity of his cuisine. Hisunderstanding of what makes each ingredient shine is inspirational, making him aworthy winner of the prestigious Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award.”Eduardo Tobon, President of Diners Club® International, said: “We are honouredto recognise Chef Wakuda and his impact on global gastronomy by bridging thetraditions, methods and flavours of Japanese and French cuisines. He workswithout borders, and he has the special ability to transport diners with a single,amazing bite.”