Acclaimed restaurant Waku Ghin officially re-opens to the public (1 March 2021) at Marina Bay Sands after extensive renovations, offering the brilliance of Chef Tetsuya Wakuda over a widened repertoire that spans contemporary bar experiences, private dining and its signature Chef’s Table.
From design inspiration to menu, the revamped Waku Ghin leans heavily towards Chef Tetsuya’s Japanese roots. The dining space, for instance, is designed by award-winning Japanese designer Yohei Akao, and features a minimalist design that integrates natural materials and intricate details that pay ode to nature and heritage. At the restaurant’s new entrance located adjacent to its previous location, diners are greeted by a majestic two-tonne stone sculpture from Shikoku, Japan, towering over the reception before they are ushered into The Bar at Waku Ghin.
It is here that guests are welcomed into a world of Japanese cocktails, where precision and innovation drive some of the best libations in the city. An extended bar dining area – featuring Chef Tetsuya’s timeless cuisine, along with pastas, donburis, and indulgent bar bites – is flanked by swivel wooden shelves with abstract calligraphy paintings by Japanese artist Shiro Tsujimura. The wooden shelves not only create a dynamic partition between both areas of the bar, but also set a prelude to a cove of intimate dining rooms nestled at the back of the restaurant.
In the kitchens, Waku Ghin is inspired by the best produce across different seasons and regions such as Hokkaido, Okinawa, Miyagi and Toyoma – from ama ebi (sweet shrimp) and kanburi (winter yellowtail) in winter, to shiro ebi (white shrimp) in spring time, Hokkaido uni and anago (saltwater eel) in summer time, and prized wasabi from Shizuoka, Chef Tetsuya’s birthplace.
“The new Waku Ghin is more contemporary and accessible via the expanded offering at The Bar. But guests can also find pockets of exclusivity through our two private dining rooms and Chef’s Table. From culinary origins to design inspiration, I’ve taken the time to dig deeper into my Japanese roots to present a fresh new interpretation of Waku Ghin – one where diners get to journey and taste the best of Japan across different prefectures and seasons,” said Chef Tetsuya.