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Ranier BeckerGerman chef
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Rainer Becker: German Chef at the Helm of Zuma
- 10th Anniversary of Zuma and Personal Milestones
- Future Projects
- Concept and Success
- Opening a Successful Restaurant
- Zuma's Cuisine and Popularity
- Local Ingredients and Menus
- Opening a Restaurant in Berlin and La Petite Maison
- Starting Zuma with an Investor
- The Waney Brothers and German Cuisine
- Japanese Ingredients and Skills
- Learning Japanese Cuisine and Impressions of Japan
- Family and Future
- Maintaining Zuma's Popularity
Rainer Becker: German Chef at the Helm of Zuma
Rainer Becker, a German chef, ironically leads the most popular Japanese cuisine restaurant in London - Zuma. His career began in his native Germany until he was noticed by the Hyatt hotel group. Over 14 years, Becker traveled the world with them, spending several years in Sydney before moving to Tokyo. In London, fate brought him together with Alan Yau when he was planning to launch Hakkasan. A meeting with businessman Arjun Waney led to the creation of the Zuma and Roka empire, with restaurants now open in several major cities around the world.
10th Anniversary of Zuma and Personal Milestones
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Zuma, while Becker himself recently celebrated his 50th birthday. When asked about his feelings on this occasion, Becker expressed indifference towards age and time. He continues to do what he has been doing for the past thirty years, such as engaging in water sports like sailing and water skiing. He also remains devoted to his work, despite the challenges of finding time for adrenaline-pumping sports.
Future Projects
Becker mentioned upcoming projects, including plans to open a Zuma branch in Abu Dhabi and a new restaurant in Renzo Piano's Shard skyscraper, a new symbol of London on London Bridge. The building will have 87 floors and feature one of the tallest restaurants in London with breathtaking views. The new restaurant will have a grill bar with live music, and the opening is scheduled for February-March next year.
Concept and Success
When asked about the concept of a new restaurant and the components necessary for success, Becker explained that he trusts his instincts and imagines himself in the shoes of the diners. For Zuma, he wanted to create a high-class modern Japanese restaurant that was welcoming for first-time visitors. To achieve this, there is a bar at the entrance where guests can have a drink and leave if they don't like it, without spending too much money. If they enjoy it, they can proceed to the tables. Roka, on the other hand, is a more democratic restaurant in terms of prices and design.
Opening a Successful Restaurant
Becker was asked if he can predict the success of a new restaurant at its opening. He admitted that if the food is bad, the place can be forgotten immediately. Some mistakes are more evident to outsiders. However, people do not intentionally make mistakes, as they open businesses hoping for success. Japanese cuisine only became popular worldwide in the 1980s. Becker believes the credit goes to chef Nobu Matsuhisa, who made black cod popular and adapted many other dishes to suit European tastes.
Zuma's Cuisine and Popularity
Zuma is a truly Japanese restaurant, but not with traditional cuisine. It takes into account Western taste preferences. Japanese cuisine has many flavor nuances, but it is light and lacks heavy creamy sauces. It is meant to be shared among a group, unlike traditional European menus. When asked if Japanese people love Zuma, Becker revealed that the majority of their customers are not Japanese. The older generation of Japanese believes there are too many seasonings in their cuisine, while the younger generation, who have traveled and are accustomed to bold flavors, appreciate Zuma's food.
Local Ingredients and Menus
Becker explained that they add new dishes to the menu in each country, depending on the local suppliers. However, 80% of the menu remains the same everywhere, just like in London. They try to use as many local suppliers as possible to ensure quality. Japanese seasonings and sauces are authentic, but scallops and salmon for the London restaurant are sourced from Scotland, and tuna from Spain or New Zealand, depending on fish migration. Fresh wasabi and red carrots, however, need to be imported from Japan because they do not grow anywhere else due to the minerals in the soil.
Opening a Restaurant in Berlin and La Petite Maison
When asked if he has considered opening a restaurant in Berlin, Becker considered it risky as Germans tend to stay at home on Sunday to Tuesday evenings. He believes it is safer to open restaurants in other big cities. Their restaurants require significant effort, as chefs work both in the kitchen and sushi bar. The interiors, designed by Noriyoshi Muramatsu, are also expensive and made entirely of natural materials like glass, granite, wood, and metal. Becker does not allow the use of plastic. He trains chefs for future projects in London. Therefore, there are more opportunities in New York or Chicago, where there is strong competition and demanding customers, but the rewards are magnificent if successful.
Starting Zuma with an Investor
To open Zuma, Becker needed a significant amount of money. He was looking for an investor, and a fortunate coincidence came to his aid. He complained to his hairdresser, who happened to know someone with money looking to open a restaurant but didn't know how. That person turned out to be Arjun Waney, and that's how Zuma was opened.
The Waney Brothers and German Cuisine
Becker was asked if he feels jealous of the Waney brothers' new restaurants. He replied that he cannot pursue something if his heart is not in it or simply work for the money. He received training in French cuisine but feels no connection to it, so he is not involved in La Petite Maison's project.
When asked if he considered opening a German cuisine restaurant in London, Becker mentioned his love for traditional German cuisine but finds it too heavy. However, he would be interested in opening a high-class biergarten with traditional dishes from southern Germany.
Japanese Ingredients and Skills
Becker expressed his love for wagyu beef, which costs £60 per portion at Zuma. They import it from Australia because direct purchase from Japan is not possible. In the past, only samurais were allowed to eat meat, and the cattle were purebred, receiving massages and playing music. This breed is now raised outside Japan, and Australia has achieved good results over the past twenty years.
When asked if Zuma serves fugu, the poisonous blowfish, Becker revealed that it is not really tasty. It has a tough texture and is different from any other seafood delicacy. Although there are seven or eight types of fugu, only three are toxic. Becker believes that tuna or salmon taste better.
Learning Japanese Cuisine and Impressions of Japan
Becker admitted that learning Japanese cuisine is very difficult because the cooking techniques are complex. For example, knives are only sharpened on one side, which requires a different cutting technique. Rice cannot be washed with hands, and fish must be cut differently for sushi and sashimi, with each method serving a purpose. Learning this can take 5 to 10 years.
When asked about his impressions of Japan, Becker initially did not like it, but over time, as he understood how to live with the Japanese and the reasons behind their behavior, he fell in love with the country. He instantly loved the food. He appreciates the respect with which people are served. For example, if a taxi driver cannot find the correct address, and Tokyo has many small streets where restaurants can be hidden, they will not charge the fare because they feel they did not provide the service up to standard. At first, Becker felt like the character from the movie "Lost in Translation." He also enjoyed the emphasis on seasonal ingredients and the celebration of the changing seasons. The first appearance of cherries, for example, is a significant event, and a box can cost around £20 because they are the sweetest.
Family and Future
Becker's daughter, who is currently thirteen years old, loves Japanese cuisine. Although he has not taken her to Japan yet, he believes that in a couple of years, when she is a bit older and can better understand the country, it would be a suitable time. She currently does not study the language as they speak English and German at home.
Maintaining Zuma's Popularity
When asked how he manages to maintain Zuma's popularity for ten years, Becker emphasized the importance of staying ahead of the curve.
