ONE of Tetsuya Wakuda’s fondest memories of his iconic Sydney restaurant Tetsuya’s dates back to 1999, when Japanese whisky brand Suntory approached him with an offer to relocate from its original Rozelle address to its current, more upscale location.

“The journey from that initial conversation to the grand opening in 2000, and the outpouring of love and support from patrons over the years made it a cherished chapter for me,” recalled the celebrated chef who became an Australian institution with the eponymous restaurant that he opened 35 years ago in 1989.