Travel News – April 2022


[Travel News]
Marina Bay Sands to Unveil WAKUDA by Chef Tetsuya Wakuda and 50 Eggs on 17 April 2022

Marina Bay Sands is gearing up for the opening this month of WAKUDA, a game-changing dining concept in the heart of Marina Bay Sands’ hotel lobby by culinary maestro Tetsuya Wakuda and 50 Eggs Hospitality Group. 
WAKUDA’s exceptional design by award-winning architecture and design firm Rockwell Group embraces Chef Tetsuya’s culinary philosophy and modern take on Japanese classics. 
From 17 April 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. Diners can look forward to savouring Chef Tetsuya’s innovative interpretations of Japanese classics in a diverse menu of WAKUDA-style appetisers, sashimi, sushi, tempura, as well as high quality small plates of grilled items, rice bowls and cold soba – all made using the finest seasonal harvest from Australia, Europe, Japan and New Zealand. 
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 represents an evolution of my culinary work to date. It is a fresh canvas where I can dream up new possibilities to enable diners to journey across time and seasons,” said Chef Tetsuya Wakuda. “From the sourcing of exclusive produce, down to every design element and fine craftsmanship, the level of precision and detail in the cuisine style and presentation is truly remarkable. We envision WAKUDA to be a vibrant and fun dining experience amidst the bustling Marina Bay Sands, and I cannot wait to unveil it to our guests.” 
WAKUDA Singapore’s launch will be followed by a Summer 2022 opening of WAKUDA at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas. 
“Partnering with Chef Tetsuya and Marina Bay Sands has resulted in something truly remarkable,” 50 Eggs Founder & CEO, John Kunkel, added. “With the perfect formulation of cuisine, art and culture, WAKUDA Singapore will set a new standard in fine dining. I look forward to introducing our highly anticipated 50 Eggs concept on a global scale.”
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 will be 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. An embodiment of elegance, beauty, and grace, Japanese maple trees symbolise the onset of Autumn, a season of great harvest and abundance. 

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’s expression of Chef Tetsuya’s culinary philosophy and the 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.
Inoue is renowned for his unique aesthetic vision which combines the powerful and energetic movements of western street art and hip-hop culture with the contemplative aesthetics and simplicity of Shodō (traditional Japanese calligraphy). His works are an expression of the traditional and the contemporary that make up the artist’s identity. 
This balance is well expressed in his original work for the restaurant ceiling titled In His Hands – a mural featuring liberal brush strokes with bold crimson touches. Here, guests can witness the chefs in action over a black and white marble counter parallel to a dynamic feature wall. 
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.  
WAKUDA will open for reservations soon. For more info, head over to Wakuda Singapore | Japanese Restaurant in Singapore | Marina Bay Sands
[Updated with photos from the launch]

Photo credits: Marina Bay Sands. Photos of Jun Inoue are by Naoto Sakamoto.

Photo credits: Respective properties