By Leigh O’Connor.
Krish Dutt’s culinary journey began in the vibrant islands of Fiji, where the rich flavours and local ingredients first sparked his passion for cooking.
At 20, this passion led him to the Cook Islands, where he spent two transformative years honing his skills and diving deep into Pacific cuisine.
Seeking new adventures, Krish headed to Aotearoa and spent three years discovering a love for Asian flavours, which saw him achieving incredible success at award-winning New Zealand restaurants.
"My journey took an extraordinary turn when I was appointed Private Chef de Cuisine for the Royal Family of Jordan,” he tells AGFG. "This prestigious position allowed me to work alongside world-renowned Michelin-starred Chefs at their restaurants, absorbing invaluable knowledge and techniques from true masters of the craft.”
Krish now finds himself King of the Kitchen at Chef-hatted TUNKI – Ceviche and Woodfire Grill in West Lakes, where a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian ingredients comes together to bring Nikkei cuisine to Adelaide.
"My travels and experiences inspired the concept of a Nikkei restaurant, which came to fruition through a fortunate partnership with the Fahey family, who believed in my vision and helped make it a reality.”
Hooked at a young age on the magic of cooking, Krish started by helping his aunt at her restaurant:
"Those early mornings spent tagging along to the markets, watching her pick out ingredients and seeing how she turned raw ingredients into amazing dishes, left a huge impression on me. I was fascinated by how she could make such incredible meals with just a few ingredients, each one a testament to her skill and creativity.”
Krish’s journey as a Chef isn’t just about chasing a dream – it is about living it every day.
"Every ingredient I choose, every dish I make and every meal I serve reflects my passion and dedication to the craft. The early mornings at the market, the late nights perfecting recipes and the countless hours in the kitchen are all part of my journey to becoming the Chef I am today.”
With a diverse cooking style with a fusion of Pacific origins, Asian influences and refined techniques learned from global culinary masters, Krish creates innovative dishes that honour traditional flavours while pushing boundaries.
Krish says he can’t live without fresh fish which takes pride of place on TUNKI’s menu where ceviche is a signature favourite, along with salmon tiradito and mirin-cured fish roe.
Sharing his recipe for tuna tataki with aji Amarillo, passionfruit and charred sweet corn, he says this was the first Japanese cooking style he learnt and totally fell in love with.
"Tataki is all about taking high-quality protein, searing the outside to lock the juices and flavours, while still raw inside. Then cooling it down and slicing it thinly to enjoy.”
There is one other serious passion in this creative Chef’s life – scuba diving!
"If I could, I’d live underwater. There’s something about the underwater scenery that brings me a lot of peace and calmness. I’ve done nearly 200 dives, including some at shipwrecks and using nitrox, which has let me explore the ocean in ways that few others have.
"This hidden world beneath the surface is where I find a sense of tranquillity and adventure.”
