Food Wine Sleep

Born in Tokyo, Japan. Raita Noda was destined to be a chef. His first memories were of food – of oden, a traditional Japanese hotspot – and growing up in his family’s restaurant. For Noda, it was always the smells and bubbling pots of the kitchen that comforted him the most.

In 1990, Noda moved to Australia. While he had been cooking for years, the move marked the beginning of his professional career, with Noda undertaking an apprenticeship at Matsukaze Japanese Restaurant in Sydney’s Chifley Plaza. His disciplinary Japanese training continues at other Japanese notables, including chef de partie at ANA Hotel’s Unkai Japanese Restaurant and sous chef at Ebisu Japanese Restaurant.

These years provided a formative experience for Noda, who was soon to step out of the traditional confines of Japanese cuisine and develop his own progressive style of cooking. It wasn’t without trips back to Japan, however, that Noda would take his next step. Long considered masters of seafood, a particular fascination of Noda’s, the young chef’s time in his home country was key to his development. Observing age-old techniques and experiencing the world’s best produce is in large part what turned him into the seafood master he is today.

Following this, Noda went on to open Rise as chef and owner, a Japanese restaurant in Surry Hills that was met with immediate success followed by numerous awards. After four years however, Noda was presented with an offer he could not refuse – chef de cuisine at Ocean Room.

Headhunted by management who’d fallen for his creative approach to seafood, Noda was appointed prior to their opening and has since the restaurant become one of Sydney’s best seafood restaurants under his guidance.

Today, Ocean Room provides the perfect setting for Noda’s creative skill. Set against the significant backdrop of Sydney harbour, Noda’s menu changes seasonally, with inspiration taken from the year-round movement of his produce. Specialties include his live aquarium selection, as well as the signature ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ a collection of 11 sashimi shots and his distinctive wasabi prawns with fried wasabi mayonnaise.

Wherever Noda will be, you’ll always find him in the kitchen.