Hong Kong seafood’s quality ‘the same as in a Japanese fish market’, globetrotting Japanese chef Mitsuhiro Araki says

How did you get interested in cooking? “After World War II, my grand­parents divorced and my grandmother married again. My step-grandfather knew how to cook Western food and in the 1940s he opened two cafes in Kyushu. He could make simple dishes like omelettes, steak, hamburgers.

“Growing up in a small village in Kyushu, Western food was uncommon, so eating his food was such an amazing experience. When I tasted demi-glace for the first time, I felt lucky. At five years old, I was too young to ask my grandfather to teach me how to make it.”

Tell us about your childhood. “My mother made dumplings about twice a month – it was my favourite snack after school. She was born in Qingdao [in China’s Shandong province] and lived there until she was 11 years old and that’s where she learned how to make jiaozi.

My father ate only fresh sashimi every day so my mother went to the market and bought fish to make it. I was curious about sashimi and asked to try it, but my father would only give me small bits to satisfy my curiosity.”

At 24, you decided to move to Australia. Why? “At the time, I was done cooking Japanese food. I wanted a change. I didn’t have much money so I got a holiday visa where I could go to Australia, New Zealand or Canada. Sydney was great. At first, I tried to find an office job, but my English was not good and I didn’t find work. Then I saw how popular Japanese food was in Australia and started working in a Japanese restaurant.

“I went to the market every day to selectour fish and I fell in love with doing this. But the best thing was to apply one or two techniques I had learned over the years to the fish, serve it to customers and see their joy as they ate it. I realised this is what I wanted to do. I learned about Izumi [a sushi restaurant in Shimomeguro, in Tokyo’s Meguro ward] and I decided to work there after a year in Sydney, in 1991.”

What was it like working at Izumi? “Every day I wanted to escape. There was so much pressure but it was my last chance because I was a 25-year-old apprentice, while the others were 17 or 18. It’s harder when you’re older because you don’t remember things as easily. Every day we say, ‘Hai hai hai [I can do it]’; I can’t say no. You learn how to talk, how to ask customers what they want. I was at Izumi for eight years, then opened my own restaurant [The Araki, in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward] a year later, in 2000.”

Did you always want to run your own restaurant? “Yes, I wanted to be responsible for everything: the fish, counter, choosing the furniture, produce. It’s not difficult to open, but I think 90 per cent is luck, 10 per cent is hard work. It’s about everything aligning. I moved the restaurant to Ginza [in Tokyo] in February 2010 and got three Michelin stars the same year.”

Three years later you closed the restaurant and decided to shift to London. What prompted the move? “Three months after I opened in Ginza, I felt there was no challenge. Where do I go from here? I wanted to travel. [French] chef Joël Robuchon was a customer. I asked him where I should go, since he had opened restaurants around the world. He suggested New York, London or Hong Kong. My then-11-year-old daughter wanted to go to the UK to study, so I let her. As soon as he mentioned London, I thought that could be interesting.”

What were the challenges you faced in the British capital? “In London, you can’t import fish from Japan. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa [another customer] recommended a fish supplier, as he has two restaurants in London. This supplier has only local and European fish. I couldn’t use Japanese fish, but this was no problem, I wanted a change. I also wanted to use caviar and truffles, and mix them with local fish.”

What was the response? “Many customers did not appreciate the high-end ingredients I used, like abalone. They said it didn’t have taste and refused to eat it. At first, I couldn’t understand. Then I realised there are many customers who have never lived by the sea and don’t know a lot of seafood. I had to understand this was Europe, not Japan.

“At times, I was disappointed in myself and thought of closing the business and moving back to Japan. But one day after some customers ate my food, they said it was one of the best meals they had ever had and encouraged me to continue. I was so happy I cried. In 2016, I got two Michelin stars and that meant so much to me.”

What is the difference between European fish and Japanese fish? “European tuna is more fatty and more salty, while tuna from Japan is more sweet. Each country’s fish has a different taste. I marinate the fish differently, one might be 20 minutes, another 12 minutes. When you marinate fish in seaweed, the salt penetrates the fish meat, so as the moisture escapes, the flavour becomes more concentrated.”

What do you think of the quality of seafood in Hong Kong? “It’s good. Really, it’s no joke. The quality is the same as that in a Japanese fish market. We use seafood like mantis shrimp, grouper, Japanese whiting. However, there are some things like tuna or uni you cannot find in Hong Kong, so I combine local ingredients with imported ones.”

What do you do when you’re not working? “I like listening to music, especially by Ryuichi Sakamoto, who is a customer. When I opened in London, his present to me was the sushi counter made of solid wood.”