Tunes & Teppanyaki

Manpriya Singh

It’s quite a task to get him to talk. Actually, sit and talk. Chef Vadim Shin Ryoji refuses to leave his armoury, comprising knives, fire, tools, sauces and the big iron plate.

The Teppanyaki experience has just begun; so much so that it’s hard to sift the showman from the chef. “Teppanyaki is about entertaining the guests as well. It’s an experience and revolves around showmanship,” he shares, while in Chandigarh to revamp the menu and hold a Japanese food festival at Hibachi, Hotel Icon.

“You can interact with me alongside,” he shares, while turning kitchen tools into a set of drums and the iron plate a percussion instrument. All before beginning with Teppanyaki egg fried rice, a live dish comprising, “Japanese coca cola and Johnson’s baby oil, for good skin and some MSG.” It’s a while before the poker face gives way to smirk. Ah! Just kidding. On a serious note, the Japanese Coca Cola was for soya sauce. “Japanese food is very healthy and that’s what I like about it. There is something very special in the sense that it needs to be eaten fresh and requires excellent quality of raw materials,” shares the chef, born and brought up in Moscow, who chose to specialize in Japanese cuisine.

“In Teppanyaki, everything is happening in front of you. But Teppanyaki basically comprises dry food.”

Wholesome entertainment

Meanwhile, there’s poker, guitar, waiting to be handled. A magician, a musician, all rolled into one. Pretty much like the sushi he rolls. “I’m a musician by profession but I worked in the hotel industry and it was in 2001 I thought about combining both my passions. After all music and good food go inextricably well together.”

Things got further serious in 2005. “I trained in Moscow itself and also at St Petersburg for skill sets and cooking. I passed with excellent grades,” shares the chef, who will help guests roll their own sushi under personal supervision.

Time for some music. Tu Jaane Na follows on guitar, surprising as it was coming from a Japanese chef. While the heavily accented Hindi needed subtitles, but the music he played with élan. He laughs, “I heard the song, thought it was European, Googled the lyrics and learnt it.” It does not stop at music. A shift to Bangalore might be on the cards. As for Indian cuisine, “I like aloo parathas.”

Sashimi & biryani

But it all starts with food. “For the festival we have three menus, with first menu comprising six kinds of sushi, the second will be a Teppanyaki menu and the third will be a la carte,” says Dilsher Sukhija, the director. From sashimi to the innovative Japanese biryani, “Gradually these dishes will be incorporated into our regular menu, which has also been touched upon by the chef.” He adds, “Initially when he came, he gave us a list of ingredients, which we hadn’t even heard of. The idea is to enhance the authenticity of the cuisine.” And keep the entertainment going!

On till August 16 at Hibachi, Hotel Icon—8, Chandigarh

manpriya@tribunemail.com