WAKUDA, a new dining concept by culinary maestro Tetsuya Wakuda and 50 Eggs Hospitality Group will open on April 17, 2022. WAKUDA will present an approachable, multi-faceted gastronomic experience, from à la carte and bar dining in elegantly designed communal spaces, to private Omakase in an exclusive enclave, starting with dinner service.
Headlined by the celebrity chef and his long-time stalwarts Executive Chef Sufian Zain and Chef de Cuisine Suzuki Masaya, WAKUDA will be Chef Tetsuya’s second restaurant at the integrated resort after his two Michelin-starred Waku Ghin.
WAKUDA Singapore’s launch will be followed by a Summer 2022 opening of WAKUDA at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas.
WAKUDA’s design was inspired by traditional Japanese architecture, celebrating the beauty of craftsmanship and nature, and infused with an element of urban Tokyo’s energy, modernity and spontaneity. Kumiki – a time-honoured wood joinery craft that traces back to the Asuka period (538-710 AD) – is used throughout. The restaurant’s entry features an up-lit Kumiki wood façade, juxtaposed against a massive split-faced natural stone wall. The artistry continues inside the restaurant, from a custom ceiling installation in the Main Dining Room and the suspended lighting fixtures of the Omakase Room to stylish banquette dividers adjacent to the Bar and the framed façade of the open kitchen.
Upon entering, guests are immersed in a glowing, soft-lit Japanese sanctuary, characterised by rich wood tones, rough-faced stones, a neutral tone-on-tone palette, mirrored surfaces and brushed bronze accents. Floor-to-ceiling windows draw the eye to picturesque views of a lush, outdoor garden framed by a dome-shaped Kumiki screen and marked by a Japanese maple tree sitting above tranquil waters.
In the Main Dining Room, Japanese artist Jun Inoue has created an original artwork titled The Ingredients That Arrived. The work is installed on the ceiling, instantly captivating guests with its energy and dynamism. It is an artist expression of Chef Tetsuya’s culinary philosophy and transformation process the ingredients undergo when they are prepared into unique dishes. Infinity mirror panels and LED lights form a vast, immersive canopy reminiscent of a bamboo forest, completing the room’s interior and softly illuminating the artwork above – creating fleeting moments and views for guests to enjoy.
The arched backlit main Bar is a glowing focal point that ushers guests into a world of Japanese mixology. Rockwell Group designed a lunette of contemporary ribbed walnut against an illuminated backdrop of gold-leaf-accented wall panels in a nod to the historic use of gold leaf designs in Japanese royal and religious paintings. Traditional sake barrels join the extensive ranks of bottled spirits and liquors on display.
In the Omakase Room, darker tones of natural wood exude elegance over the Chef’s Table where diners are treated to a multi-sensory feast of craftsmanship. Intimate plush banquette seats are framed by embossed metal privacy screens, set against oxidised nickel wall panels featuring iridescent cherry blossom motifs.
Other design elements include rice paper pendant lights inspired by traditional Japanese lanterns. Jun Inoue also designed three Noren (traditional Japanese fabric dividers) based on the three elements of nature – earth, fire, and water – quintessential to cooking.