Road To Shokunin - Interview with Head Chef Patrick Tan

Mahatma Gandhi’s quote to ‘learn as if you were to die tomorrow’ encompasses Chef Patrick Tan’s learning journey in the culinary world. His desire to gain knowledge led him to leave his comfort zone in an Izakaya to join Nogawa Japanese Restaurant, helmed by the distinguished Chef Yoshio Nogawa-san himself. Apart from Nogawa, he is also known for shaping the culture at many renowned fine dining Japanese restaurants in Singapore, including the Sushi Jin by Les Amis Group, Sushi Chiharu and now, Shinzo Japanese Cuisine.

When asked what inspired him to delve in the fine arts of a Shokunin, he simply replied, “I just wanted to learn how to make sushi. It’s just as simple as that. As a young man, I didn’t think much beyond that. I just followed my heart and trusted my gut.” He decided to join Nogawa as he felt that it was the pioneer in fine dining Japanese Omakase in the 80s. “To be the best, you must learn from the best.” is a belief Chef Tan holds steadfast. 

At Nogawa, this quality was imbued into him, which shaped him into the Itamae, the head chef of a sushi restaurant, he is today. He was taught that sushi chefs should not only focus on the quality of the food, but also cultivate a sense of comfort and warmth during the meal. Chef Tan believes that one of the greatest highlights of the Shinzo experience is the intimate setting of the restaurant, which allows the guests to have a unobstructed view of the kitchen. “People often come to Shinzo as strangers but leave as friends. They share sake and have a good time together.” He proceeds to mention that the counter at Shinzo was a replica of the ones in Japan, which is his favourite thing about Shinzo as it allowed him to reminisce about his time spent in the country, reminding him that he had finally reaped the fruits of his strenuous training as sushi shokunin.

“They would test your skills. If they think you’re capable, then you can serve the customers. But before that, it’s mostly just preparation until you can prove yourself.” he talked about his training experience at Nogawa.

Learning how to make sushi was a completely different experience than working at an Izakaya. It took him 4-5 years before he could finally serve his first customer at Nogawa. Fast forward to the present, he’s the head chef of Shinzo, in charge of curating the Omakase menu daily and choosing only to serve the freshest produce imported from Japan.