Now as our Executive Chef of Japanese Cuisine, Joshua Bedell’s culinary journey has been far from conventional. Growing up, his earliest ambitions were of the literary, rather than the culinary kind. But after traversing the span of the United States with a family constantly on the move, Joshua was exposed to a breadth of experiences and cultures that eventually fed his thirst for crossing borders and exploring unknown flavours.

A stint at a sushi bar in the Midwest sparked his passion, and it was there he had an instant revelation: cooking was what he wanted to be doing for the rest of his life. Over the years, Joshua has found his path within the realm of Japanese cooking (underscored by technical training in Chinese and French cuisines), gravitating toward both the lightness in flavours and intensity in craftsmanship that the particular canon inspires. “I’m a vegetable enthusiast and generally a light eater,” he says. “Japanese cuisine is all about clean flavour profiles and utilising the best ingredients available presented in an aesthetically appealing way.”

Joshua honed his skills from Manhattan to Melbourne and sharpened his knives at world-class kitchens including Bond Street Sushi and NOBU. As one of the pioneers to popularise kaiseki cuisine in Australia, he made an indelible mark on the Japanese dining landscape in Melbourne with his ground-breaking offerings as Executive Chef of Kisumé.

Having flourished under the mentorship of many who encouraged him to explore different frontiers and push beyond his comfort zone, he says his greatest satisfaction at present comes from “guiding and mentoring others”. Below, he reflects on his best moments in the kitchen, the lessons he’s learned and how travels have influenced his food philosophy.

Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?

I was born in Korea; I was in an orphanage by three and adopted a few years later to an American/German family living in the United States. We moved frequently and lived everywhere from the West Coast (Washington) to the East Coast (Florida) and a number of states in between (Oklahoma, Utah and New Mexico, to name a few).

I come from a large family with six kids so dinner was a central part of the daily routine growing up. I was a constant presence in the kitchen and was always proffered a sneak preview of what was to come as the designated taster and licker of spatulas and assorted utensils.

What is your earliest food memory?

My first food memory is from my early childhood in Korea. It’s of the simple potato: steaming and piping hot, straight out of the oven, wrapped in tin foil but never eaten and recollected hungrily, as it was confiscated by a gang of baby-faced kindergarten hooligans.

Tell us about your first job in the industry.

When I was 14, I lived in the windy prairie plains of Wyoming and got a job at the lone Asian restaurant called China Panda as a dishwasher and runner.

Who are some of your mentors, and what did they teach you?

As young chefs, we put an incredible amount of effort into accumulating food knowledge and developing our physical tools, but are rarely trained on how to lead. And once we are in a position of leadership and management, we are generally ill-equipped to handle the stresses of the role… that’s why there are so many angry chefs! It wasn’t until I worked with Chef David Garcelon, a culinary director at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, that I learned the importance of mentoring and guiding in a measured and deliberate manner.

What drew you to pursue Japanese cooking?

The ethos of extreme dedication and stoicism that exemplifies the people of Japan made an immediate impression on my young mind in search of meaning. After being denied employment for a couple of years, my first mentor, Abe-san, brought me on as an apprentice sushi chef and I fully immersed myself in that world and loved every moment of the experience.

Japanese cuisine is divided into specialised segments across a broad spectrum and Chef Abe, realising his own limitations as a chef (he was trained solely in sushi), prodded me to go beyond my comfort zone and explore the disciplines of kaiseki, Chinese and French.

What are some of the biggest influences on your style of cooking?

The novel “Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand had a huge impact on my life and style of cooking. In particular, the thought process that the protagonist, Howard Roark, applies as an architect while conceptualising his buildings: stripping away the superfluous and respecting the integrity of materials with every component serving a purpose.

Can you tell us more about how your travels have influenced your culinary journey?

Going to Japan early in my career opened my eyes to a food culture that borders on obsession. Some of the best dining experiences I found were in unassuming locations in alleyways and roadsides; the curious and hungry will always find a meal worth returning to.

I went to China on an extended work trip and was stunned by the sheer variety of ingredients, ranging from fruits and vegetables to fresh and dried bounties of the ocean. Having grown up with Americanised Chinese food, this was a definitive experience in one of the great cuisines of the world, and I parlayed that experience into building flavour profiles for the opening of “La Chine” in the Waldorf Astoria in New York.

How would you describe your cooking philosophy?

Keep it simple and tasty, and make it aesthetically sensible.

What are some of the important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?

One of the earliest lessons I learned was that nothing will be handed to you and that you have to know what you want and work for it! As a chef, I have always assumed the hardest tasks because if we take the easy route, in the blink of an eye, you’ll find years have passed and you’re still at the beginning.

Tell us about one of the biggest challenges in your career you’ve had to overcome.

I had to learn early in my career to be mindful of my emotions. Indignation is the quickest emotion to arise and if we can just hold on to it for a moment, it can quickly go away. In the heat of the kitchen, I have spoken and reacted to the detriment of myself and those around me. Over the years, I’ve learned to conduct myself in a professional matter by listening first and assessing the situation before I respond.

What one piece of advice would you give to aspiring chefs?

Work for the job that you want! If you want to be a head chef, do the job of a head chef and then it will be a question of not ‘if’ but ‘when’.

Looking back, what would you attribute your career success to?

I would say my career path has been mostly about putting the time and effort in. Nearly every step up the ladder has been an owner or formal superior referring me to another opportunity.

If there was one moment of your career you could revisit, what would it be?

I try not to dwell much on the past as I very much look forward to the next challenge and adventure!

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Craving more? Read another ‘My Culinary Journey’ story here.

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