Tetsuya [Hardcover]

Tetsuya Wakuda is a true artist. Inspired by the ingredients native to his adopted country (Australia), and the techniques and flavours of his birthplace (Japan), Tetsuya combines them to complement and highlight each other in the simplest ways to bring out the most complicated flavours. For those of us unfamiliar with his reputation, Tetsuya comes with a glowing forward by Charlie Trotter that refers to Tetsuya in the same breath as Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller, and rightly so.

Tetsuya's presentation is perfection. Details such as minute brunoise and matchstick julienne are beautiful to behold, but it's his ethereal marinades, and his thoughtful use of Asian influence with ingredients such as fresh ginger and garlic, soy, mirin and wasabi, that make his dishes so memorable, and which allow us mere mortals to follow his recipes successfully. At Tetsuya, meals are presented as numerous small dishes, but you can multiply any of his recipes to work as main courses. "Linguine with a Ragout of Oriental Mushrooms" is simple to prepare, and bursts with the rich, earthy flavour of exotic mushrooms brightened by hints of garlic, sake, mirin, tomato and chile. "Tartare of Tuna with Goat's Cheese" requires sushi-quality tuna, but if you can get it, this dish is quick and easy and luscious with fresh, creamy goat cheese, and lively with cayenne, garlic, ginger, white pepper, and anchovies. Not all of Tetsuya's creations are Asian-influenced. There are many magnificent European-style dishes such as "Salad of Sea Scallops with Asparagus and Beans", "Venison with Roasted Shallots and Morels" and "Granny Smith Apple Sorbet with Sauternes Jelly".

Stunning photographs of dreamy dishes and delightful bits of commentary separate recipes laid out like poetry to make this a culinary page-turner and a gift-worthy coffee-table book. Without a doubt, Tetsuya would make an exciting addition to the kitchen collection of gourmets who love to cook with such ingredients as market-fresh produce, sushi-quality fish and shellfish, fresh venison, squab and guinea fowl. --Leora Y Bloom

"'It is chefs like Tetsuya Wakuda that have made Sydney one of the world's great restaurant cities. His book rises to the same standard of excellence.' Anne Willan"

Tetsuya Wakuda is widely considered Australia's finest and most origianl chef. In this book, he shares his story, his recipes and his passion for the good things in life. Arriving in Australia in 1982 with nothing more than a small suitcase and a love of food, he worked his way up from kitchen hand to master chef. His restaurant Tetsuya's opened in 1989 as a tiny shop front in the Sydney suburb of Rozelle.