team

Shaun Presland - Executive Chef

When Shaun Presland was asked to take on the role of Executive Chef & launch Saké Restaurant & Bar, the timing was perfect. After dedicating 15 years to perfecting his craft by learning the fundamentals in Japan & training intensively with world-class Japanese chefs, he was ready to make an indelible mark on the Sydney dining scene.

“I immediately knew Saké was the right place for me, and winning a Chef’s Hat within our first year was confirmation,” says Shaun. “It was the ultimate recognition from the industry that we were doing the best we could do.”

Looking ahead, Shaun says Saké customers can expect even more opportunities to learn about food & sake pairing, with all three restaurants offering Sake Discovery Sessions, bar menus perfectly matched with original cocktails & exclusive dinners hosted by in-house sake sommeliers.

Shimpei Hatanaka - Head Chef

Born and raised in Australia, this second-generation sushi chef has been working in kitchens since the age of 14. By 18, he was putting his talent to the test alongside his father at Shiki Japanese Restaurant in The Rocks.

Shimpei has since fully mastered his craft, thanks to a five-year stint at Establishment’s Sushi-e and an overseas posting alongside Shaun Presland at Nobu Atlantis, in the Bahamas. “This is where I learned to prepare a lot of new fusion Japanese dishes,” he explains.

Shimpei then worked at Sushi Choo before joining Shaun for the launch of Saké Sydney. “In the two years since I’ve had the freedom to experiment and create a couple of dishes that highlight the unique umami flavours – it’s the wonderful subtlety of Japanese cuisine that still gets me fired up!”

Miriam Gibson - Group Sommelier

“When you start to develop an understanding of sake and shochu varieties, you really appreciate how important the subtle pairing of food and drinks is in Japan,” says Miriam Gibson, who revels in her role as Group Sommelier for Urban Purveyor Group, the parent company behind Saké.

Miriam developed her appreciation of Japanese cuisine and beverages over three years spent at Zuma, one of London’s finest Japanese restaurants. She has since been applying her skills at Saké – in 2011 Miriam launched the Sake Academy at both restaurants and has busy been hosting ‘Sake Discovery Sessions’, the aim being to comprehensively educate guests on sake’s finer points.

“Throughout 2012 we’ll be introducing new sake varieties and hosting exclusive dinners where sake is the hero,” Miriam adds. “By sharing our knowledge, we aim to help keep the tradition of sake appreciation well and truly alive.”

Wayne Shennen - Bar Manager

According to Wayne Shennen, good bartending is all about balancing flavours. “The subtlety of each ingredient should shine through,” explains the passionate New Zealander, a trained sake sommelier and one of Sydney’s most respected bartenders. “If you can taste what you’re drinking, you tend to treat alcohol with more respect.”

Having earned his stripes behind bars in Sydney and the UK, Wayne is now gaining a following of fans who appreciate his original cocktail mixes and extensive knowledge of sake and shochu.

“At Saké Sydney I’m given free reign to play – our bar staff all have a great knowledge of classic cocktails and we use this as the basis for getting innovative. We also have access to the world’s finest sake and shochu varieties,” says Wayne. “My goal is to make Saké famous for its drinks!”