Shinji Kanesaka is from Chiba Prefecture, to the east of Tokyo. His dream of becoming a professional baseball player was rudely interrupted when he encountered so many more talented players at his baseball-focused high school. So he turned his back on the sport and instead threw himself into cooking school at the age of 17.

He talks about securing his first proper job at Kyubey in Ginza not fully realizing the magnitude of this great opportunity. A self-described country bumpkin, he had never even heard of Kyubey when he embarked on his apprenticeship. Perhaps it helped him from getting carried away with the moment, because he put his head down and worked so hard that after five years, at the age of 23, he became the youngest employee in the history of Kyubey to stand behind the counter shaping sushi morsels for customers. His most important lesson from this time was how crucial it is to remember your customers’ preferences.

At the age of 28 and around the time his father passed away, Kanesaka opened his first restaurant. Talking about it clearly draws out so many emotions and his words just fade off. He went on to open a second location at 31 and then a restaurant in Singapore. Now at the age of 45, Kanesaka simultaneously exudes youthful energy and maturity. He speaks with conviction and his enthusiasm is infectious. A savvy businessman who credits his times of hardship for the ingenuity and motivation to get where he is now, he says when you don’t have money you have to use your brains. More than anything, the key to success in the sushi world is remembering that while you may be the sushi master, the ultimate master is your customer.

VISION
In Kanesaka’s view, his staff are all members of the same family just with different roles to play. He is always thinking about his next move and putting people in the right places to make it happen. He visits high schools to give presentations about the life of a sushi chef, hoping to attract more people to the field. He feels no industry is as sought after and that the demand for his craft is still growing, but there are not enough talented people taking it on.

When people join his family, the expectations are high and the going is tough – many leave along the way, but the individuals who stay are the best and most committed. Kanesaka is aware that his presence can sometimes stifle others' performance and prevent them from learning overall customer and time management, so he leaves the restaurant in his staff’s hands at the busiest time every year. He also knows that motivated staff perform better. This is the reason behind entrusting the female servers with all the tasting and pairing decisions for the champagne, sake, wine and plum wine served at the restaurant.

A calligraphy gift from former Prime Minister Hosokawa hangs on the wall boldly stating “Don’t forget yourself”. True to those words, Chef Kanesaka is a man of his convictions who will no doubt continue to grow his presence as the years go by.