“Born to be a Chef”
In Asia, if you are born as an only son of the family, you were destined to take the legacy of your family.
Eiji Nakamura was born as an only son of the family who runs a traditional Japanese sushi restaurant that made him destined to follow his father’s path.
He grows up in the kitchen, looking up what his father was doing. But actually, he was not there trying to learn a cooking skill from his father to become a chef. He, as a little boy, was just there waiting for his father to feed him some delicious food into his mouth!
He grows up in the kitchen, looking up what his father was doing. But actually, he was not there trying to learn a cooking skill from his father to become a chef. He, as a little boy, was just there waiting for his father to feed him some delicious food into his mouth!
On the other hand, born and grow up in Asia’s one of the most dynamic city, Tokyo, kept him inspired and accelerated his passion for exploring new things. Since he was young, he never lost his curiosity, loved traveling , always tried new things. Then, his curiosity brought him to USA, Canada, Europe and several other Asian countries.
Chef Nakamura says, especially, the working experience in "Koji's Kaizen", one of the best Japanese restaurants in Montreal, changed his career as a chef.
"It just blew my mind away! At the beginning, I just could not accept what they were making as a "sushi". It wasn't real sushi for me, specially after I worked in a very traditional sushi/Japanese kaiseki restaurant for 3 years. It took me a while, but one day, I just looked at the guests and realized that they really enjoyed the "sushi" and everybody looked so happy. So, I said to myself, "What the heck! We chefs cook for the guests and if the guests are happy, that's all that matters". So, if I had stayed in Japan worked only in traditional Japanese restaurants for 10-15years and then saw the sushi in Canada, I would not accept it forever, and never realized that what was important for us as chefs. It is making our guests happy and giving them a memorable time!"
After he went back to Tokyo, got some more experiences as a sushi chef in a sushi shop with over 340 years of history "Sushi-man" and as a Japanese chef de cuisine in an Asian fusion restaurant in Roppongi.
After he went back to Tokyo, got some more experiences as a sushi chef in a sushi shop with over 340 years of history "Sushi-man" and as a Japanese chef de cuisine in an Asian fusion restaurant in Roppongi.
Those experiences actually have changed his destiny.
He found out that he couldn't fit in the sushi restaurant that owned by his family. His aspiration to explore more has gone way beyond….
His passion for traveling, working with other people, teaching them Japanese culture and learning different cultures from them made him decided to become a Japanese cuisine missionary.
He has moved to Taiwan in 2004 as a Japanese chef de cuisine in The Sherwood Taipei (a member of The Leading Hotels of the World) for opening up a very first restaurant outside the hotel.
And, in Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Taipei (2009 World 2nd best business hotel by Travel + Leisure) as an Executive Japanese Chef . In charge of ibuki Japanese restaurant, one of the best fine dining Japanese restaurants in Taipei.
In 2011, after 6years and 2month in Taipei, Taiwan, he has found a new challenge in JW Marriott Shenzhen, one of the newest international 5star luxury hotels in Shenzhen -the China's first and one of the most successful Special Economic Zones, situated immediately north of Hong Kong-.
In January 2013, he continues his journey in China. In charge of the Japanese restaurant "I by Inagiku" in new opening W Guangzhou, the first W hotel in mainland China, as a Japanese Chef De Cuisine.
In January 2013, he continues his journey in China. In charge of the Japanese restaurant "I by Inagiku" in new opening W Guangzhou, the first W hotel in mainland China, as a Japanese Chef De Cuisine.
