Born in Korea and raised in Aspen, Colorado, Michelin-starred chef Akira Back was a professional snowboarder before making a name for himself through his creative culinary creations.

Inspired by the likes of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto and Nobu Matsuhisa, Akira made a career switch, starting as a dishwasher and a cook at the local Japanese restaurant. He slowly became smitten by the kitchenscape and found the kitchen’s thrilling spirit resonating to that of extreme sports. Since pursuing a full-time career as a chef, he has accumulated numerous awards and accolades including a Michelin Star and achieved brand-name recognition in the restaurant scene.

With a namesake restaurant in JW Marriott Singapore South Beach and presence in cities like Las Vegas, New Delhi, Jakarta, Toronto, Dubai, Hanoi and Bangkok, Akira shares his thoughts on being a Korean-American chef serving Japanese cuisine.

I was born in Korea. When I was around 14, my family moved to Aspen, Colorado. Snowboarding was my way of fitting in and being ‘cool’.  I was quite good at it and went on to become the first Korean-American professional snowboarder. 

But over time, I felt stifled – I liked the sport but it had become more commercial and less about passion. I did not enjoy the commitments imposed on me. At one point, after an injury, I felt that I’ve had enough and decided to move on. Little did I know that being in the kitchen and 'playing' with food gave me the same feeling of freedom as it did on the slopes. I felt like I could really express myself through food but the most rewarding thing that really mattered, and still matters, to me was the reaction and gratitude of the audience; because as they enjoy my creation, it becomes a part of them too. 

I never wanted to be a chef. I never actually even cooked at home. I just ate whatever my mum gave me. I didn’t even know how to wash dishes because my mum did everything for me. So when I told my parents I wanted to be a chef, everybody laughed and then they got mad!

As a Korean-American chef cooking Japanese food, I don’t find it hard bridging these cultures. To me, it gives me added perspectives to issues.

Japanese food culture has a long history and has always been very focused on maintaining traditional tastes and techniques. The challenge faced by the new generation of chefs is how to give it a new taste while preserving the characteristics of the food culture and traditional flavours.

The concept of modern Japanese cuisine is becoming more and more popular. In the past, people's concept of cooking was more traditional and straightforward. For example, Japanese cuisine can only be prepared by Japanese chefs. Korean cuisine is best cooked by Korean chefs. Now there is no such established model or norm, and the taste of diners is also very international. As long as it is delicious food, people will appreciate it. Therefore, I think this is the best time for chefs to create and innovate.

When I design dishes, I am led by my palate. On my menu, everything comes from the heart. I hope that diners can taste the flavours I like. A lot of inspiration comes from my childhood eating habits cultivated from meals with my father. For example, when we eat sashimi, we will pair it with Korean chili sauce (gochujang).

The cultures are very close to each other. It's just the names that are different and how we eat is different. I would say Korean cuisine comprises of a little bit more heat and bold flavours, while Japanese cuisine is on the mild side. That's my food, with an American twist.

Modern and innovative cuisine is not a novelty that no one has ever eaten, it can be refreshed. The point is that you must have a solid foundation of traditional cuisine before you can make a new one, otherwise it will be a short-lived gimmick.