Chef of the Week: Kaoru Yamamoto, Chef Tutor at Tokyo College of Sushi & Washoku London

How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have worked for 15 years as a head chef in Japanese restaurants in London and have been a chef patron in Tokyo. I am also skilled in classic French cuisine and has worked in many restaurants overseas, including Nigeria.

Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
From my mother in Japan.

What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
The best part of being a chef is seeing satisfied customers.

Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Soy sauce, sake and miso paste.

Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Stove, grill and oven.

What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Sushi!

What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
When they prepare the wrong order.

What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Autumn – for the variety of fruits.

Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Tempura.

How do you come up with new dishes?
I come up with new dishes by travelling and exploring cuisines from different places, I also get my ideas from cookbooks.

Tell us three chefs you admire.
Masayuki Okuda, Kazutoshi Endo and Albert and Michel Roux.

What is your favourite cookbook?
Repertoire.

Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Kazutoshi Endo.