MANILA - Eating at the Edsa Shangri-La hotel's "Senju" restaurant is always a treat, not only because of their sumptuous spread of authentic Japanese food, but because the head chef himself makes it a point to make you feel welcome.

Chef Toshi Obigane, the man behind Senju's success, is an irresistibly charming man who speaks in broken English, but never fails to put a smile on his guests' faces when he regales them with stories of Japanese food, his surfing prowess, or the day he got mistaken for a Japanese Yakuza back in his homeland.

"Sometimes when guests are eating, they point at me and say, 'He's still talking?'" Obigane joked.

His approach towards guests and making them feel at ease is one of many things that keep "Senju" customers coming back to the classy, deep wood-paneled, Zen garden-like abode.

In fact, Obigane often tells guests that "he IS the menu," because there are many things he can cook that aren't on the "Senju" list.

For Obigane, it's all about giving the customer what they want, be it a hamburger or a pasta dish - with a Japanese touch, of course.

Once, he made a Wagyu beef burger, a tofu burger, and an Italian-style noodle dish with sauce and meat toppings since customers wanted something new.

"Each guest is different. I like to take care of them. I can make a set menu that is different every time and balanced [in terms of taste]. Sometimes guests come in and tell me, 'Give me whatever.' So I create for them, depending on what they like. We are very flexible [at Senju]," he explained.

Obigane also enjoys crafting different "Senju" menus, priced from P190 to P2,000, for different Japanese seasons. Currently, Senju serves special sea eel dishes and sweet watermelon desserts in lieu of Japanese summer.

Learning from the master

Delivering consistently delicious Japanese food seems easy for Senju's cheerful chef, due in part to his impressive culinary background.

As an 18-year-old student, he started working part-time at a big Shizuoka tatami-loom restaurant called "Mimiyaka" while studying for his International Studies degree at a university in Kanagawa.

Refusing money from his parents, Obigane said he wanted a job where he could earn money, eat, and learn how to cook. He remembers how he would cook huge batches of delicious "staff food" like curry, then take some home for his friends.

His 10-year training under a "master chef" was tough. His mentor would not give Obigane specific instructions on Japanese-style cooking, but would let him watch and memorize how he prepared the food.

"When chef makes some sauce, I have to memorize what he put. Then, if lucky, [the] chef [would] ask me to wash pots and pans. Meaning, [the] chef [is] asking me to taste the sauce still on the pot," he said.

"I would memorize the taste. If he asks me to make the sauce, I make from memory," he said.

As a cook training at a fisherman's town right smack in the middle of Tokyo and Osaka, Obigane was able to get the best of regional Japanese cooking influences then blend it into a style of his own.

He makes regular trips to Japan so that he doesn't lose the "authentic taste" of Japanese food, a trait for which "Senju" is famous. He also looks for fresh Japanese ingredients so Senju customers get the best quality food.

Word-class chef

He is well-liked and respected at the hotel because he generously shares cooking tips and tricks to anyone who wants to learn from him. He calls himself an "all-around chef" who can cook anything, from sushi to sashimi, to teriyaki meat dishes, to sweet black sesame pudding.

"Some chefs do not want to teach because if you teach, your employees will open their own restaurant. But for me, I say to my staff, 'I am very sorry for the small pay, and you working hard.' In my kitchen, it's not just work, it's also a Japanese cooking school," he said.

In 1991, Obigane moved to Vancouver in Canada, where he worked as a head chef for a 150-capacity restaurant chain. He also set up a small catering business, selling sushi rolls to coffee shops.

Soon, he moved to a 5-star hotel in Dubai (twice), Istanbul in Turkey, and finally at the Edsa Shangri-La in Manila where he has been working for 2 years with a 15-strong staff at "Senju" restaurant. He said he likes working with Filipinos because they are "hard-working, happy and bright."

Working with waiters, waitresses, sous chefs, and produce dealers of all races and temperaments, Obigane learned how to cook and appreciate food across all cultures. He professes to love Italian pizza and pasta, or Chinese and Thai dishes.

One thing he cannot stand though are local Japanese fast food chains that serve "strong-tasting" Japanese food.

Although he loves eating and cooking other cuisines, he sticks to what he knows best--cooking Japanese food with a big smile on his face.

For more information, visit the "Senju" restaurant at the Mezzanine Level, Tower Wing, Edsa Shangri-la Hotel in Manadaluyong, or call (+632) 633-8888 ext. 2738/2739. Visit their website at http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/manila/edsashangrila/dining/restaurant/senju.