Edwin Guzman – Zoku Restaurant Hong Kong

Edwin Guzman – Chef de Cuisine of Zoku Restaurant & The Terrace HK

In this interview, Edwin Guzman, Chef de Cuisine of Zoku Restaurant & The Terrace at The Hari Hong Kong, shares some insights into the food and beverage industry.

What do you do? 

I am the Chef de Cuisine of Zoku Restaurant & The Terrace at The Hari Hong Kong.

How did you get into the industry? 

I began working in the culinary industry at 19 years old, starting in the kitchens at restaurants in Peru before acquiring formal training at St Ignatius of Loyola University in Lima. Since then, I have worked my way through a series of chef roles in some of the most notable restaurants in my home city, Lima, gaining a unique understanding and respect for modern Japanese cuisine from my previous tenures at Maido and Astrid & Gaston among others, and guest chef residencies spanning Singapore, China and New York.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes. 

In the F&B industry, meeting people of all backgrounds and personalities is easy. It is interesting to see how some people can be naturally shy and introverted, but the moment they step foot into the kitchen, they become a totally different person – much more vocal and outgoing!

What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out? 

I remember being a child, constantly being in the kitchen and watching my mother cook. The amazing fragrances, sights and sounds of the kitchen ignited my passion and love for this profession. As an adult, my most recent trip to Japan in January 2023 gave me the ability to connect with different parts of Japan. As a Peruvian, having seen the strong influence of Japanese culture in Peru, it was a great opportunity for me to go back to Japan and see where the roots of that culture and ingredients came from. 

What’s the best/ worst part of your job? 

Best part: meeting new people and being the bridge between farmers, suppliers and our customers. 

Worst part: as mentioned earlier, you meet a lot of people in this industry. Due to the nature of this job, you naturally want to be able to connect and build a relationship with all your customers. It can be difficult when you meet someone from a new culture that you are not familiar with because you deeply want to understand and be able to make that connection, but it is just something that needs more time and patience.

What’s one of your favourite food and beverage pairings? 

Sashimi and shochu – I just discovered shochu a year ago, and since then, I have found this pairing very interesting in how the flavours work together.

What’s one of the funniest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?

Something I have experienced is when I travel abroad as a chef, visiting other countries and cultures, many times I wish to share my Peruvian background. As such, I like to bring along native and local ingredients with me to share, but unfortunately I have been stopped at the airport customs and been given quizzical looks from security about why I’m carrying a bag of chillies!

The perfect day off would be… 

Before my job at Zoku, I used to work at Aji MGM Cotai. So when I have time, it is always great going back to Macau and catching up with old friends and colleagues.

A day in the life of Edwin Guzman is… 

The day starts from the moment you wake up – you will already have an agenda for the day. Obviously, going to work, then just checking on the kitchen, doing prep work, checking emails, and generally just divvying up the hours of the day between creative work (new menus and promotions), service, admin work and meeting and greeting guests.

What does Edwin Guzman do for fun? 

Dancing!

What’s something you’d like guests to know about The Hari Hong Kong? 

We are a family-owned business, so there is a lot of heart and passion in the team that works here!

How has the pandemic changed your perspective or the way you operate? 

We have definitely focused more on sustainability and sourcing local, healthy products. Of course, hygiene has always been a top priority in the kitchen, where we handle products and food. Still, the pandemic has made us become a lot more hypersensitive to these things, and now it is simply second nature.

What do you want people to know about being a chef as a profession? 

Being a chef is more than just cooking; it is about delivering the message you want to share through food – an artistic expression of each individual. More than that, it is also about giving voice to and representing farmers and suppliers, many of whom don’t get to connect with customers on the same level. 

What’s your view on the hospitality scene in Hong Kong? 

It is extremely competitive. Every day, every week, and every month, something new is happening in this industry. Chefs and restaurants all around Hong Kong are doing their best, innovating, creating, and sharing. It is undoubtedly an industry that keeps you on your toes!

What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future? 

As mentioned above, sustainability and sourcing local, healthy products have been something we put more emphasis on, which stemmed from the pandemic. I have recently travelled to various prefectures in Japan to meet directly with farmers, allowing me to understand better where our produce comes from and how it is grown and cultivated.

What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months? 

We have just launched a new Sake & Sando promotion. Every Sunday, guests can choose a snack, their sando of choice and the complementary sake pairing for HKD368. We have worked with a sake supplier to perfectly match the sake with each sando pairing. I also recently visited Fukuoka and was amazed by my experience, so guests can potentially look forward to a menu dedicated to showcasing some local recipes but slightly adapted based on my background and personal culinary flair.

Find more interviews similar to this one with Edwin Guzman here, and stay up to date with the latest food and beverage happenings in KL here.