Executive Chef, Saké Restaurant & Bar.
After graduating with a Business Degree from the University of Queensland in 1993, Shaun Presland left his hometown of Brisbane and headed for Tokyo with a view to immersing himself in the culture.
“The idea was to get actual work experience that would translate to a good job down the track, so I went to work in a hotel as a kitchen hand,” he recalls. “After a month in hell I literally ran to the hills, to a place called Yamagata, and that’s where my career began to take shape.”
Shaun had literally landed under the wings of Jeanie Fuji – a San-Francisco native who had married the son and heir to a 350-year-old traditional wooden inn called Fujiya Ryokan. As the first-ever non-Japanese Okami-san (female inn keeper), Jeanie had been rigorously trained in the art of serving customers in the true Japanese style, and she set about teaching Shaun the fundamentals of Japanese cuisine, from the ground up.
“Because I wasn’t Japanese, I couldn’t be seen preparing Japanese food, so I was tucked away behind the scenes,” he laughs. “Along with Jeanie, all 180 residents in the town helped me learn the language and taught me about everything from fish cuts to tofu and tempura. I was fully exposed to the tradition and culture, and I loved it.”
In 1995, Shaun returned to Australia and took on more intensive training, this time under the guidance of Hiroshi Miura and Kenji Nishinakagawa at the prestigious Unkai Restaurant in the ANA Hotel (now the Shangri-La). Here he became the first Australian Caucasian chef to be honoured with the title of Sushi Chef.
“When I joined Unkai I realised I could spend my whole life discovering the vast knowledge that accompanies Japanese food and culture,” says Shaun. “Ultimately I found that when you understand the history and background of the food, you can really start to experiment.”
Word started spreading about this talented young Aussie chef with a flair for contemporary Japanese cuisine, and in 2000 Shaun was invited by hotelier Justin Hemmes to open the now famous Sushi e in his new Establishment hotel complex.
After being involved in the restaurant’s conceptual design and menu development, Shaun spent five years working with a team of gifted chefs and gaining a loyal following. He also picked up numerous awards and caught the eye of world renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa, who invited Shaun to move to the Bahamas and open Nobu Atlantis – now one of the globe’s most iconic restaurants.
“Nobu San is the Godfather of Japanese fusion food and my experience in the Bahamas was unbelievable,” says Shaun. “I learned how to get high-quality dishes to many people – the logistics process was amazing. I also discovered that the food I had been working on was equally as good as that served at Nobu, which was an invaluable lesson.”
This brings us to 2009 and Saké Restaurant & Bar, which the 37-year-old chef and father of two says came at the perfect time for him. “When [owner] John Szangolies said he wanted to open a contemporary Japanese restaurant with a focus on creating first-rate dishes from sustainable produce and promoting shared dining, I knew Saké was the right place for me,” Shaun explains.
Once he had accepted the role of Executive Chef at Saké, Shaun set about putting together the ultimate team, both in the kitchen and on the floor. “I had wanted to work with Richard Slarp for a while, and was thrilled he could come on board, and we’ve got two outstanding sushi chefs in Shimpei Hatanaka and Hiro Yamaguchi. Then on the floor we’ve got Rupert Sakora, who I knew from personal experience is one of the best restaurant managers around – he brings a great deal of inspiration and management experience to the table,” he enthuses. All of the staff have been trained in the art of serving sake.
As far as the menu goes, Shaun says it has been fantastic to have the chance to take great Australian fish and produce and match it with the incredible Kozaemon sakes that are exclusive to the restaurant. “Saké Restaurant & Bar is all about sharing and educating, and providing a great environment in which to enjoy new tastes. My goal is to be constantly working with my team to create new flavours,” he adds.
Shaun says he takes great pleasure from constantly learning: “My Chinese-Malaysian mother-in-law lives with us and I have learned a great deal about cooking and flavours from her. Always being open to new ideas is the great thing about doing a job you are completely passionate about!”
