MR.
SENSEI
Philip Shin is not your ordinary sushi chef. For starters, he is one of the only licensed
chefs in Japanese food in the country and contrary to widespread belief, Mr. Shin is not
Japanese. He is Korean and the owner and head chef of one of the finest Japanese
restaurants in the country – Tokyo Restaurant.
His journey began back in Korea.
South Korean law dictates that all
men of legal age are to be conscripted and hence the young Philip enlisted as a chef in the army. He later
became a chef at the Paradise Hotel
in Busan before being transferred to
the Safari Park Hotel in Kenya where
he worked as the head chef for six
years at their Japanese restaurant –
Chiyo.
Every chef dreams of owning a
restaurant and Mr. Shin successfully
turned his into reality. In 2001, Tokyo
Restaurant was born and 14 years
down the line, it has become the
Japanese cuisine capital of Kenya.
Mr. Shin is a respected figure in the
restaurant business. In fact, 70% of
the chefs who profess in Japanese
cuisine in the country have actually
been trained under his watchful eye.
Being the sensei that he is, you might
think that all he has for dinner is
raw fish and a cup of sake. However,
for the 20 years he’s been in town,
Mr. Shin has come to appreciate our
local cuisine. He particularly likes
ugali, sukuma wiki, nyama choma
and githeri.
Away from that, he has noted an
increased interest and curiosity in
Japanese cuisine from Kenyans since
2001; it is not yet everyone’s cup
of tea but Kenyans are increasingly
embracing it. In his kitchen, he is so
particular that no one else is allowed
to use his sashimi knife apart from
him. He further explains that with
sushi, presentation and freshness are
key. It should neither smell nor be
slimy and should always be the right
size for one bite.
The reason why Tokyo is a cut above
the rest is simple; their love for adventure and inspiration from foreign
concepts has kept their establishment vibrant and upbeat. Where else
would you find Sushi and Speed Dating? Or learn how to pair your sushi
with champagne?
everything right and being different from the rest. Whether you’re
looking to enjoy a cocktail as you
bring your day to a close or for a
sweet date night spot, the beauty,
simplicity and aura of Tokyo will win
you over.
Most important to Philip is the
relationship with his clients. That
genuine care and attention for them
has always driven him and has kept
them coming back. If you’re ever at
Tokyo, you will see him checking in
on patrons, sharing a joke or two
and sometimes a little history on his
culture. After all, a few wise words
always go well with your sake.
They pride themselves on doing
33.