Chef Hao Chen’s philosophy of using the finest Australian and local ingredients to create Japanese delicacies has made Raku a roaring success, despite the unorthodox location for a fine dining establishment. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
It takes a certain breed of restaurateur, the right concept and a particular market to pull off fine dining in a shopping centre setting, but Raku owner and chef Hao Chen seems to have found the foodie trifecta.
Starting as an apprentice at the Four Seasons in his native Shanghai, Chen spent years honing his craft and working as a chef at Toko in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills when he got the call.
“Canberra Centre approached me with the idea of taking over a spot,” he says.
“I think most chefs dream of one day opening their own restaurant, and I was no exception.”
It was a gamble, though. It was 2017, and at the time, the location at the Casino side of Bunda Street wasn’t known as a foodie hub.
More importantly, fine dining in a shopping centre was unorthodox.
“It was a risk. Shopping centres are generally all about casual dining – burgers, noodles … I’d have to give up a steady job, and I didn’t know what would happen,” he says.
“That said, I had heard that Canberra people loved good food. They’re worldly, and they know what good food is. They get it.”
He took the bet, and Raku opened in October 2017.
The menu offers around 70 dishes, all centred on Chen’s philosophy of using the finest Australian and local ingredients to create Japanese delicacies.
Chen says this philosophy is the culmination of a lifetime of experiences rather than any one major influence.
“Cooking inspiration is an interesting process. The development of each dish stems from the inspiration obtained from discussions and failures with the chef’s team,” he says.
“Along the way, every person you think is excellent becomes your teacher. You can learn different cooking skills from anyone.”
Coming into July is one of the chef’s favourite times of the year when he can lean into his calling card of pairing fresh seafood with truffle. Canberra, which is surrounded by excellent suppliers, is the perfect place to do it.
Chen’s signature dish is the scampi nigiri, which pairs a delicate New Zealand scampi with a bit of truffle jelly set in the middle and complemented by buttery fois gras.
“It’s quite unique. Normally fish is just fish, but combining it thoughtfully with those earthy flavours really elevates the dish,” Chen says.
“Contemporary Japanese cuisine lends itself to that combination – those clean, fresh flavours of the Australian ingredients with the umami Japanese flavours.”
Seven years on, Chen has proof of concept and no regrets. The restaurant has a sterling reputation with Canberra’s fastidious palate for excellence in contemporary Japanese cuisine.
Raku now sits among other “superstars”, injecting vitality into the precinct.
“I did not expect Raku to be so successful. For me, I just repeated my management and cooking philosophy and tried to make everything more perfect,” he says.
“I think when you are ready for everything, risk is actually the best motivation. You know what they say – no pain, no gain. Of course, hard work and persistence are very important.”
Raku is located at 148 Bunda Street, Civic, and is open every day for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and dinner from 5:30 pm to 9 pm. A special truffle tasting menu arrives in July for $280 per head with matching wines – watch this space.
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