Juggling his knives in the air and playing tricks with freshly chopped ingredients at Sakura in Marriott Hotel, Chef Johny C Lipata promises to meet the requirements of his customers. To keep the menu as fresh as the ingredients, the new chef at the oldest authentic Japanese restaurant in the capital, chops up a strategy to introduce new dishes to the menu.
Lipata, who is a prodigy in the world of Japanese cuisine and has mastered the art of Teppanyaki cooking, brings 24 years of experience to the hotel. He started his career in 1989, and continued gaining culinary experience, holding various chef positions in top kitchens at a number of executive hotels and restaurants, such as Intercontinental Hotel Dubai, Marriott Hotel & Suites Doha and Radisson Sas Hotel, Jeddah.
While tossing vegetables and slicing and dicing chunks of meat, Lipata shows off his cooking skills at the Teppanyaki grill. “Live cooking keeps customers entertained and engaged till the meal lands in their plates,” he says. His freshly made meal is created with a dash of spices that satisfy the desi taste buds but at the same time keep the flavours authentic and rich.
As a trained Japanese chef, Lipata is also an expert in Thai food, and understands Far East cuisine well. Pilipino by origin, Lipata said that he has traveled the world enough to understand the cuisine and requirements of different places and their people. He seems excited to learn traditional Pakistani cuisine as well. “I am from the Philippines so I understand strong spices and flavour just as this part of the world does. From salads to curries, rice and chappati, I want to learn as much as I can while I am here,” he says excitedly.
With just two weeks in the kitchen at Marriott, Lipata has been prompt to develop a strategy to run it, and has requested to make changes to the menu as well as the Teppanyaki grill. “I need some spotlights at the live cooking station on myself while I juggle ingredients,” he jokes. Sous-chef Imran Akbar, who has been working at the hotel since 2004, says that he is eager to learn new dishes and tricks from chef Lipata.
Keeping in mind the fish and vegetables of the season, Sakura plans to introduce a monthly menu. The diversified menu will offer a wide variety of sushi and other signature dishes introduced by the chef. Moreover, from salads to main course, the new menu will be upgraded every month. “I will be adding a twist to some of my dishes — it will be an experience for many. Each month customers will have something new to look forward to,” emphasises Lipata.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2013.
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