Cover Chef-owner Ryujiro Nakamura, who is bringing his one-Michelin-starred Sushi Ryujiro to Singapore (Photo: Les Amis Group)
Chef-owner Ryujiro Nakamura, who is bringing his one-Michelin-starred Sushi Ryujiro to Singapore (Photo: Les Amis Group)
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Sushi Ryujiro by Ryujiro Nakamura makes its first overseas outpost on these shores under Les Amis Group
Have a look around Singapore’s dining scene today and you’ll find many local outposts of Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. The latest is Sushi Ryujiro, a one-Michelin-starred sushi-ya from Tokyo by chef-owner Ryujiro Nakamura, which opens its first (and only) overseas outpost at Shaw Centre in Singapore on April 29. The restaurant under Les Amis Group will be helmed by Singapore-based head chef Naruki Ikeda.
Gourmands familiar with Sushi Ryujiro in Tokyo know to expect refined sushi and delicate Japanese flavours against a convivial and relaxed backdrop, which is a stark contrast to the reserved atmospheres typically found at other high-end sushi-yas. The restaurant, like most other restaurants of the same level, enjoys the freshest ingredients possible, hand-selected and sometimes hand-delivered. However, Sushi Ryojiru still manages to stand out with its use of tuna from Yamayuki, widely regarded as one of the top tuna dealers in Tokyo’s Toyosu market.
Above Chef-owner Ryujiro Nakamura, who is bringing his one-Michelin-starred Sushi Ryujiro to Singapore
Chef-owner Ryujiro Nakamura, who is bringing his one-Michelin-starred Sushi Ryujiro to Singapore
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Of course, it’s all thanks to its itamae, Nakamura himself, who makes it a point to visit Yamayuki-san everyday, even when his restaurant is not open. It’s this treasured relationship that allows Nakamura to bring Yamayuki’s tuna, as well as seafood and produce from its trusted Japanese suppliers, all the way to Singapore.
It was always Nakamura’s goal to open his own restaurant. “Once that was achieved in 2019, I wanted to open a restaurant overseas,” he says. He shares that a Les Amis Group shareholder had dined once at his Tokyo restaurant, which won its first Michelin star in 2022. This eventually paved the way for a partnership with the Singapore-based F&B group when the space opened up. As to why Singapore made for the ideal location for Sushi Ryujiro’s first outpost, Nakamura cites its strategic “well-connected[ness]”, ideal for four-hands experiences with other chefs in the region, and the Singaporean love of Japanese food. Besides, “My family and I love Singapore! We love the food and the sunshine. I would love to spend more time here,” he says.
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Above Chutoro, the opening nigiri sushi to the meal at Sushi Ryujiro, using tuna sourced by famed tuna dealer Yamayuki at Toyosu market
Chutoro, the opening nigiri sushi to the meal at Sushi Ryujiro, using tuna sourced by famed tuna dealer Yamayuki at Toyosu market
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As a child, Nakamura spent a lot of time in his father’s Chinese restaurant and accompanied him to sushi restaurants often. “I was hooked,” Nakamura says, and set his gaze on becoming a sushi chef at a young age. What followed was a series of apprenticeships under expert chefs such as Nobuharu Hase of Aoizushi, Takahito Hanawa of Sushi Hagihara, and Mitsuyasu Nagano of two-Michelin-starred Sushi Umi in Tokyo. “Each master I had taught me different skills and abilities. They gave me opportunities to grow and taught me perseverance,” he says. In fact, it was at Sushi Umi that Nakamura got a taste of running a restaurant after Nagano passed.
“I believe providing opportunities for younger chefs is very important. I would like to do the same for those who want to persevere,” Nakamura says. He’s doing just that by appointing Ikeda as the head chef, who has been based in Singapore since 2022. “I want to empower chef Ikeda to do what is best for the guests and to grow as a chef,” he adds. For his part, Ikeda, who has trained at three-Michelin-starred Gion Sasaki in Kyoto and has spent some time training at Sushi Ryujiro Tokyo, wants to make the Singapore outpost a place that “Japanese diners know they can trust”.
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Above Naruki Ikeda, the head chef of Sushi Ryujiro Singapore
Naruki Ikeda, the head chef of Sushi Ryujiro Singapore
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Though the menu here will be tweaked to the local palate, Ikeda insists that the outpost will “carry the same values”. “It’s the culture and character of the people in Sushi Ryujiro that will translate to the dishes we produce, the care we put into the preparation, the way we treat our customers, and the way we treat one another,” he says. In particular, he appreciates the fact that the team here will be able to speak English.
“If you dine at Sushi Ryujiro Tokyo, unless you can speak Japanese, it is very hard to fully experience the restaurant because the chefs cannot fully explain the methods, the ingredients, and so on,” he says. It is this sharing that’s important to the Kanagawa native. “I want to talk to the guests and share about our food. It’s easy to share about our Japanese culture with guests while working behind the counter. In Japan, the culture is in the food. We pride ourselves on our produce. It’s the best way to showcase what we have in Japan.”
Nakamura will return to Singapore four times a year to refresh the seasonal menu, as well as rectify any issues in quality control. Such attention is necessary in a market saturated with Japanese restaurants, where a certain kind of precision, determination, and charm is needed to stand out in the crowd. “Skill alone is not enough; we must have the hearts of guests,” Nakamura asserts.
Above all, a love for food is essential. “I have sushi and clams almost everyday,” he confesses. “I live for sushi.” From April 29, we will get to see the product of that love writ large at Shaw Centre.
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Images: Les Amis Group
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Ethan Kan was Tatler Singapore’s dining writer.
