Today we've come to Manchester's most exclusive restaurant
and I mean so exclusive
that they only serve about 20 customers a month
and the only way you're getting in here is if you're a member
or you've got a mate that's a member
which fortunately I have.
Terry!
How are you?
We all remember Umezushi, very, very popular sushi place.
This is different now, though, isn't it?
Now it's just myself and I'm focusing on what I enjoy cooking
and this is the sort of restaurant
people go to experience and to communicate with the chef.
Today, there's no other guests. This is just me and you.
This is one on one.
Maximum we serve 4 people.
Never more than 4 people?
No. That's how fast I can cook.
And that's that's, yeah.
So how many dishes are we going to be having today?
Well, actually, it's up to you.
Traditionally Omakase, with tempura
the chef just keeps serving until you say stop.
The plan - you'll have a selection of seafood, vegetables, a meat dish
all deep fried.
All deep fried!
Japanese version of a fry up!
You're going to enjoy it.
Alright then, let's go.
We'll start with some sashimi.
Everyone knows sashimi. But for those that don't...
Sashimi is literally just sliced fish.
Everything has to be treated. Do something to it
not just fillet and then serve.
You can't get a bit of fish, chop it off and there you go.
No, no. We recently started really doing a lot of fish ageing
and you can see this salmon here, that's been aged for about 5 days.
You don't realise just how much has gone into it.
I will put that into the bowl now and just dress up
- Proper wasabi, Terry. - Yeah.
I know that it's not 100% wasabi is it, in the sachets?
No, they are just coloured horseradish mostly.
People may or may not notice the difference
but at least I know I'm serving the things that I want to serve.
So that's the starter sashimi selection.
You have some scallops, some salmon and pickled mackerel
and also a little bit of salmon roll.
Terry, you're going to have to excuse my chopstick skills.
That's OK.
But some people use their fingers, don't they?
Yeah, feel free to, feel free to.
Mmm. It's amazing.
It's creamy.
- Yeah - It really is.
And the wasabi, it's just it's nice, isn't it?
It's mellow and you should get some sweetness from the wasabi itself.
So Terry, why are you doing this, why so exclusive?
Surely the more people that eat your food, the better?
Well, to be fair, I'm more interested in the process of doing it.
You know what it's like now?
I'm not a great business person, so if I have to worry about
like cooking, as well as payroll, everything else,
that's too much for me.
That's a very meaty prawn you got there Terry.
Very sweet.
Then what I'm going to do is dust with flour
and I'm going to mix the tempura batter there - first thing, vodka.
- Vodka? - Yeah.
In a batter?
In the batter yes.
As much alcohol we can get in here as possible
because it has a lower evaporation point.
So when you dip that into the fat,
it just becomes a big bubble and gives you a nice texture in there.
- You've deep fried the legs. - Yes.
That's not a thing, is it Terry surely?
It's like it's like a real prawn cracker.
It tastes just like it.
Oh, I forgot to give you something, actually.
What we got? A little dip?
Yuzu salt, plum salt.
That's a miso and peanut dressing.
Ok, I'm going in.
Oh, wow. It's like it's the first time I've ever eaten prawn.
And the batter's so delicate, if someone told me
I was eating 20 courses of deep fried food, you'd worry.
- Yeah. - But this is unreal.
I'm apprehensive about this, deep fried prawns legs.
You'll be fine.
What bit am I eating the actual legs?
- The whole thing. - Are you winding me up?
No, no, no, no, no.
OK, let's try this.
It's like crisps.
It is like crisps.
Can I ask what this would cost someone if they wanted to come?
Depending on the ingredients and the menu, this is £80 per person.
We have a big menu planned from sashimi like a tartare etc
that's £200 per person.
- Terry? - Yeah?
Are you about to deep fry olives.
- Oh yes. - I'm on board.
There you go. Tempura olives.
Terry, how did you even get into all this?
How do you know so much about sushi?
Well, I just like eating and I couldn't find anywhere
that I would like to eat, so I had to do it myself.
You shouldn't tell people about this.
Everyone will start doing this.
Deep fried olives I think are now one of my favourite things.
Did you teach yourself?
Yeah. Well, you can learn anything on YouTube nowadays.
You've not learnt how to do all this through YouTube.
That's where I started.
And of course, like you do your research, you read your papers,
you eat a lot and try to recreate it.
That's the only way to learn, really.
You ready for the next one?
Course I'm ready for the next one, not ready to stop yet.
What is the next one?
I think we'll have to move on to this, sea urchin.
OK, now I'm going to be honest with you.
I've never had sea urchin and I'm told it's kind of Marmite.
You either love it or hate it.
That's true.
But you're more than welcome to say you like that, you didn't like that.
OK, so if I don't like this, it's fine.
It's OK. You are just not welcome to come back.
Sea urchin in shiso leaves.
Right, I'm going in.
Unsure.
I think I'm unsure.
I mean, I'm sure it's cooked to absolute perfection,
but that just isn't for me.
I think I need a drink after that though.
Sake's what you need.
Sake, let's go.
Well, I have a small bottle here.
Don't worry. It's a standard size in Japan.
That's a big one you got there Terry.
This is how they normally drink.
Is it, always in like the big bottles?
Actually, only when they started exporting
they started producing the wine sized bottle.
Otherwise, this is the standard size.
It's because we can't be trusted with big bottles like that.
That's why they didn't send them over.
There you go.
Terry, how do I say cheers?
Kanpai.
- Kanpai? - Kanpai, yes.
Kanpai.
- How do you find that? - Smooth.
You mentioned YouTube earlier Terry,
that you learned some of your skills from that
but you're now trying to teach others your skills via YouTube aren't you?
Well, teaching is probably not quite the right word,
sharing our research, sharing our findings.
And how's that going? Is it something you enjoy doing?
Yes, actually, we get to finally do the experiments
that I always wanted to do properly
and you'll see, you'll see on the channel.
Ooohhh, Terry.
Right. Wagyu in leek.
It just looks so perfectly cooked.
Clearly, ingredients and produce is very, very important to you.
Oh yeah.
Absolutely delicious, it's like I'm just biting through butter.
Amazing.
Where's this from?
That's from Japan, Kagoshima.
And you also have the Abalone from Australia.
Let me show you the shell. It's beautiful.
Looks like that.
In fact, this inside has been made
into jewelleries or furniture inlay very often, and this is expensive.
£80 / £90 a kilo, depending where you get it
and that's before wastage.
So that weighs 50% of what you pay for.
I've still got a little bit of room, so maybe we try the sea snail?
Yeah, has to be that right, has to be that, let's go for it.
This is something else new for me as well.
Tempura Abalone. I think you're going to like this one.
Yeah? Does this need a little dip dip?
Yeah, there are two pieces
so bit of plum salt on one and then the other mentsuyu on the other one
- All in one? - All in one.
That's unreal.
You've got expensive taste.
I know my wife tells me.
How can other people get to try all this?
Because people are going to want to try this. This is amazing.
Well, unfortunately, all memberships are sold out at the moment,
but we're hoping to open a few more next year as people come and go.
Everything I do here
will be going through our channel and ingredients that you cannot get
we'll be selling them.
But you're talking yourself out of business
they're not going to come and eat with you.
No, no. I think people knowing what I know, it's better for my business.
So I think that's good.
OK. I'll drink to that. Cheers Terry.
Thank you very much.