‘I let my work talk’: Toronto chef on new restaurant already fully booked

Nobu, the worldwide celebrated restaurant co-founded by legendary Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert de Niro and film producer Meir Teper, recently opened its doors in Canada, with Nobu Toronto reinforcing the city’s reputation as a global dining destination.

Alex Tzatzos, the restaurant’s executive chef, joined BNN Bloomberg Friday to discuss his experience opening Canada’s first Nobu restaurant. The Mykonos native says opening Nobu Toronto was a big challenge, but one he enjoyed.

The two-floor space designed by Studio Munge has a Japanese-inspired design, featuring a Sake bar. According to Tzatzos, the restaurant is fully booked for the foreseeable future and beyond. The restaurant will feature signature dishes and cocktails such as the iconic Yellowtail Jalapeño and the Lychee Martini, it also offers many exclusive creations such as the Grilled Salmon with Ginger Garlic Yakiktori and the Midnight in the 6ix cocktail.

In order to craft a menu that would appeal to the Canadian market, Tzatzos said he spent nine months walking around the streets of Toronto, trying to understand “how the city’s culinary world works” before opening the restaurant. He added that he searched for the best suppliers and farmers as he likes to cook with local products.

“I let my work talk and not my mouth,” said Tzatzos, adding that simplicity and discipline have been key ingredients to accomplish a successful career.

“We keep all our dish creations within the Nobu concept, nice and clean,” he said.

Tzatzos also noted that his path to success was not linear. Moving to London in his early 20s, he worked at two Michelin star restaurants Le Gavroche and The Square, before landing at Nobu London. He said that working at high-end restaurants at a young age was part of his goal, but also one of “the hardest things he did in his life.”

With 12-hour shifts and a lot of pressure on his shoulders, Tzatzos said learned an important lesson regarding the importance of being disciplined not only in the kitchen but also in life.

When it comes to his expectations for Nobu Toronto, Tzatzos says his first goal is to focus on quality and consistency and to grow the restaurant slowly and one step at a time.

“I want the guests to come back again and again,” he said.

“I think Nobu Toronto will be one of the biggest and busiest restaurants in town.”