1. BethMorley
oceanmagazine.com.au
W
hen the highly experienced executive chef of
Saké Restaurant, Shaun Presland, took up
my Chefs on Board challenge, it was not a
particularly daunting prospect for him. But I am always
fascinated by how chefs cope with working in such
a confined area, as well as the extra disturbance of a
moving kitchen.
No issues today though – as soon as he boarded,
Shaun threw off his shoes and proceeded to prepare our
five-course extravaganza, without missing a beat.
The other ‘challenge’ was for our guests, relaxing and
enjoying cruising Sydney Harbour on board Quantum,
the 120-foot luxury charter yacht, and indulging in
Shaun’s gastronomy menu and selection of fine wines
and sake.
Joining us for this Japanese dining experience were
owners Steve and Melissa Burcher and sister Kim
Auswild, Dan Hopkirk and Sabine Schusser from the
Urban Purveyor Group, John Calleija from Calleija
Jewellers, David Boucher from Boucher & Co and Tim
Allerton from City Public Relations.
We cast off from the wharf and the lines had hardly
been stowed before we found ourselves sipping on
French Champagne and sampling some of the most
delectable canapés including sashimi tacos, snapper
ceviche, spicy tuna crispy rice and miso marinated
Glacier 51 toothfish within butter lettuce cups –
absolutely divine.
While cruising the harbour I had time between
courses to speak with Shaun about his path to becoming
a sushi master and what was so appealing about this
traditional way of cooking.
Shaun’s passion for cooking started at an early age,
helping his mum in the kitchen. “The kitchen was always
a cool place to hang out, with fire and blades at hand.”
After graduating with a business degree from the
University of Queensland, he left his hometown of
Brisbane and headed to Tokyo in order to immerse
himself in its culture.
“The idea was to get actual work experience that would
translate to a good job down the track, so I went to work
in a hotel as a kitchen hand,” he recalls. “After a month
of hell I ran to the hills – to a place called Yamagata –
and that’s where my career began to take shape.”
In those hills he was under the wing of Jeanie
Fuji – a San Francisco native who had married the
heir to a 350-year-old traditional wooden inn called
Fujiya Ryokan. As the first-ever non-Japanese Okami-
san (female innkeeper), Jeanie had been rigorously
trained in the art of serving customers in the true
Japanese style, and she set about teaching Shaun the
fundamentals of Japanese cuisine.
“Because I wasn’t Japanese, I couldn’t be seen
preparing Japanese food, so I was tucked away behind
the scenes,” laughs Shaun. “Along with Jeanie, all 180
residents in the town helped me to learn the language
and taught me about everything from fish cuts to tofu
and tempura. I was fully exposed to the tradition and
culture, and I loved it.”
Since returning to Australia in 1995, Shaun has
worked with some of the masters of Japanese kitchens.
Under the guidance of Hiroshi Miura and Kenji
Nishinakagawa at the prestigious Unkai Restaurant in
the ANA Hotel (now the Shangri-La), he became the first
Australian Caucasian chef to be honoured with the title of
Sushi Chef. Shaun was invited by Sydney hotelier Justin
Hemmes to open the now famous Sushi e in his new
Establishment hotel complex. After being involved in the
chefs on board138
SAKé MASTER
Shaun Presland, chef of
acclaimed Sydney restaurant
Saké, aboard Quantum who says
he loves cooking on the boat. “It’s
so nice to be out of a commercial
kitchen and on the water cooking
bare feet, it is very cool.”
Menu
CANAPéS
Miso marinated toothfish
butter lettuce cups
Sashimi tacos
Snapper ceviche
Spicy tuna crispy rice
FIRST COURSE
Western Australian Scampi
tasting plate
Second course
Darling Downs wagyu beef tartar
with takuan pickles, fried egg purée,
sweet potato and nori chips
Third course
Cone Bay Barramundi Kuwayaki
PALATE CLEANSER
Nashi pear and yuzu sorbet
FOURTH course
Assortment of sushi accompanied
by Cloudy Bay clam miso soup
DESSERT
Miso caramel-filled
chocolate fondant
Quantum
leapAn idyllic spin on Sydney Harbour
combined with the best of modern
Japanese cuisine is a match made in
heaven for Hillary Buckman, who is
dazzled by both the culinary magic
of Saké Restaurant executive chef
Shaun Presland, and the yacht it was
served upon, the 120-foot Quantum
built by Warren Yachts.

2. restaurant’s conceptual design and menu development,
Shaun spent five years winning a number of prestigious
awards and gaining a loyal following. He caught the eye
of world-renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa, who invited
Shaun to move to the Bahamas to open Nobu Atlantis –
now one of the world’s most iconic restaurants.
Then in 2009, entrepreneur and owner of the Urban
Purveyor Group John Szangolies invited Shaun to
take the role of executive chef for the launch of Saké
Restaurant & Bar in The Rocks, Sydney. Having spent
years perfecting his craft he was ready to make his mark
on the Sydney dining scene.
And today we experienced the perfection and precision
of his craft. Every course was a story on a plate.
Captain Glen Gray positioned Quantum in one of
my favourite locations in Sydney, just under Taronga
Zoo at Athol Bay. The sun had come out and it wasn’t
long before the first delicious aromas drifted up from
the galley below. The first course was a tasting plate of
Western Australian scampi done in three different ways:
salt and pepper scampi tail with yuzu kosho mayo,
scampi new-style with shaved fois gras ponzu and
poached scampi with jalapeño dressing with katsura
salad and thickened tossazu. This was accompanied by
a glass of 2012 Gilles Robin Crozes-Hermitage White
Les Marelles – a refreshing wine perfectly
matched to the meal.
Next up was an oriental take on a
French delicacy: Darling Downs Wagyu
beef tartar hand diced with takuan
pickles, fried egg puree, sweet potato and
nori chips. It was a dish that had our taste
buds turning somersaults. Certainly my
dish of the day.
Our third course was Cone Bay
crispy skin ocean barramundi with a
sweet ginger teriyaki glaze, buttersoy
mushrooms, jalapeño butter, umami
carrot puree and topped with crisp leek
wafer. This tender dish was a big hit.
This was followed by a palate-cleanser
of Nashi pear and yuzu sorbet before our
next course was delivered.
Fourth course was an assortment of
sushi including nigiri sushi, tuna sashimi,
salmon belly kingfish and snapper,
maki sushi and kingfish chimichurri,
accompanied by a Cloudy Bay clam miso
soup with ginger, soy and wasabi.
The final dish of the day was a
sensational dessert of miso caramel- filled
chocolate fondant, chocolate soil and
toasted white chocolate ice cream garnished
with a zesty yuzu. It was as delicious as it sounds.
This was accompanied by a shot of sake, super-
chilled and poured into a classic masu sake cup made
from hinoki cypress, which gave the sake a beautiful
wooden scent.
While relaxing on Quantum’s generous aft deck, I
had the chance to speak to Steve, one of the owners of
Quantum about his new purchase and how it came about.
“I had always admired the boat and thought it was
one of the best looking yachts on the harbour,” he said.
“I was aware of the reputation of the build quality
of the vessel through various other boaties, and also
of the quality of every aspect of the boat’s interior and
equipment. The fact that it was built to the required
survey specifications and was already getting a name
oceanmagazine.com.au
chefs on board140
Calleija, the bespoke jeweler, with his
boyish charm and humour. Around the
table he made the husbands nervous
when he pulled out from his ‘goodie
bag’ an amazing selection of jewels and
diamonds and casually threw hundreds
of thousands of dollars’ worth of rings and
bracelets around the table.
Unfortunately, before we disembarked,
we all were patted down and discharged
of our gems.
When it was time to point the bow of
Quantum back in the direction of Jones
Bay Wharf, I asked Steve to describe his
perfect day out.
“My perfect day out is a day on the
harbour with friends and family enjoying
what Sydney has to offer. There isn’t
anything else that goes close.”
in the chartering business was very
important to us. It was a unique chartering
offering ideally suited to the private and
corporate market, especially for short-
duration and special events. When the
opportunity came up to purchase the boat
at a reasonable price we didn’t take long
to make up our minds.”
Steve added, “We then set about
building on her reputation and market
awareness through collaborations with
high-profile companies such as Audi (we
are their VIP vessel for Audi Hamilton
Island Race Week each year) and Sony
Foundation. We also provide the vessel
for The Bachelor TV series and The
Daily Telegraph’s ‘Sydney Confidential’
outings. Further collaborations with
high-end restaurants such as Aria and
Saké also enable us to offer unique high-
end experiences, which the market is
demanding. The quality of the crew has
also been a major factor and we always
rate highly in this area.”
We were also entertained by John
QUANTUM PHYSICS
It was a gorgeous
afternoon cruising in
Sydney Harbour with
one of the best chefs
in the business and
dining on the spacious
deck of Quantum.
BethMorley
TASTE TESTER
Directly above and opposite page: We enjoyed a
selection of canapés including snapper ceviche,
sashimi tacos, toothfish butter lettuce cups, and
spicy tuna crispy rice. Top: The 120-foot luxury
charter yacht, Quantum was the perfect setting.
Below from left: Waitstaff, David Boucher from
Boucher & Co; hosts and Quantum owners,
Melissa and Steve Burcher, Saké Brisbane head
chef, Daisuke Sakai; Executive chef Shaun
Presland; Kim Auswild; Dan Hopkirk and Sabine
Schusser from Urban Purveyor Group; John
Calleija from Calleija Jewellers; Hillary Buckman;
Tim Allerton from City Public Relations. Right:
Saké table setting in the cockpit.
Q&A
How would you best describe your
signature style of cooking?
Contemporary Japanese.
What is your favourite Japanese dish?
Sushi – without a doubt is the best food on the planet.
How often do you revise the menus at Saké?
Twice a year, summer for hot weather winter for
cooler weather. Eighty percent of the menu remains
unchanged all year round.
In your time as a chef, what has changed
in the way people dine?
People are more accepting of sharing dishes in an
Asian fashion, family style. This also allows more
dishes to be sampled.
What ingredients could you not live without?
Bonito, soy and miso. The three greatest flavour givers.
You have cooked on board yachts before? What is
one piece of advice you’d pass on to owners?
Be kind to staff and give them some space to work –
happy staff are gold.
What is on your bucket list?
To cook Japanese in London.
How do you find the quality of ingredients
in Australia compared to other countries?
Are Japanese ingredients readily found here?
Most countries these days have exceptional
ingredients. Producers make every effort to get the
best possible produce to the customers in the best
possible time. There are a few Japanese herbs and
specialty shellfish that are impossible to obtain in
Australia – other than those, we have really solid Asian
distributors for our dry goods.
What is your favourite culinary destination within
Australia and why?
It would have to be Tasmania – some of the cleanest
waters in the world producing some of the world’s
greatest seafood.
When you are at home, what do you prepare?
We eat a lot of vegetables and salads (with a heavy
Japanese influence). Fish is cooked simply with salt
or soy and grilled; recently we are cooking brown rice
instead of white.
What was the inspiration for bringing the Saké
brand to life?
Meeting John Szangolies six years ago. He had a
space in The Rocks and gave me the opportunity. I
had the ability and training to see it through from
planning to opening.
with
Shaun
Presland

3. oceanmagazine.com.au
chefs on board142
Ingredients
1kg hand-diced wagyu trimmings to 3mm
– careful to throw away any sinew
360ml fried egg purée
100g chopped chives
150g fine-diced Takuan pickle
20g diced white onion
20g garlic purée
Truffle oil
Pink peppercorns
Method
Mix the fine-diced onion with the garlic,
some egg purée and then 1kg of diced
meat. Mix in the chives and Takuan,
then season with salt and pepper. Taste,
and adjust seasoning if needed. Put the
mixture into a piping bag and cut the end
off accordingly.
Fried egg purée
Blend 4 eggs over easy with 300ml Dashi.
Emulsify with grape seed oil and butter.
Sweet potato chips
Slice sweet potato slices on the mandolin.
Wash the slices in cold running water to
lose some starch. Fry in clean oil at 170ºC
until free of bubbles. Take out and drain.
Sprinkle with fine salt and chili powder.
Plating
With a teaspoon, put a drop of egg purée
on the plate and smudge it with a spoon.
Place the ring mould on the large end
of the smudge and pipe the tartar in,
packing it down with the tip of the bag.
Garnish the top with a little red pickled
cabbage, baby shiso and fresh truffle if
available, otherwise drizzle a little truffle
oil on the tartar and continue the drizzle
down the purée. Finish with a sweet
potato crisp and pink peppercorns.
second course
DARLING DOWNS WAGYU
BEEF TARTAR
Kuwayaki sauce
180ml sake
90ml Mirin
45ml dark soy sauce
(Kikoman Gluten Free)
45ml Tamari soy
90ml Dashi stock
90g sugar
Method
Bring all the ingredients to a boil to dissolve
the sugar then cool for later use.
third course
Cone Bay Barramundi Kuwayaki
Barramundi
Pin bone a fillet of kingfish and cut into 2
x 150g pieces. Score the skin with slices
down only 1 millimetre. Pat dry and salt
the skin side. Lightly flour the flesh side.
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
Place skin side down into an oiled, cold
pan and press down on the fish as the
heat comes up – you want the fish to
stick to the pan (it will pop off later).
Swirl the oil round a little to get a nice
browning of the skin. After 2 to 3
minutes, place the fry pan in the pre-
heated oven for 7 minutes.
In a new pan, bring 100ml of the
Kuwayaki sauce to a simmer, grate a
thumb of ginger and squeeze the juice into
the sauce.
Remove the pan from the oven and
gently remove the Barramundi pieces
from the hot pan and place them flesh
side down into the sauce that is reducing
on the stove.
Once the sauce coats the back of a
spoon, take it off the heat and plate up.
Garnish with butter soy tossed
mushrooms and sliced spring onion (or
anything else that takes your fancy).
TABLE MANNERS
Clockwise from top left:
The Barramundi was
served with a sweet
ginger teriyaki glaze,
buttersoy mushrooms,
jalapeño butter, umami
carrot purée and a
crisp leek wafer; John
Calleija and Melissa
Burcher; Kim Auswild
and Ocean editor-in-
chief, Hillary Buckman;
The assorted sushi came
with a delicious side of
clam miso soup (left);
Presland and Sakai at
work in Quantum’s galley.
BEEF cake
From the top: We enjoyed
a Western Australian
scampi tasting plate for our
first course; Co-owner of
Quantum, Steve Burcher
with Tim Allerton from City
Public Relations; Delicious
wagyu beef tartar; Below:
Quantum co-owner, Melissa
Burcher with Dan Hopkirk.
BethMorley

4. chefs on board144
Fondant
40 egg yolks
40 whole eggs
1kg castor sugar
2kg unsalted butter
2kg chocolate
600g plain flour
Method
Combine the yolks and whole eggs with
sugar in a large mixer with the paddle
(do not cream the eggs and sugar).
Melt butter and chocolate over a
bain marie.
Combine the chocolate/butter mixture
with the eggs.
Fold in the flour bowl, but do not over-
mix. (This mixture is best made one
day before).
Butter and flour the moulds, place them
in a cool room to set before piping the
mixture into the moulds.
When moulding, squirt in a good measure
of the miso ginger caramel to pop later
when serving.
Bake for 7 minutes at 185ºC
(from room temperature).
DESSERT
Miso caramel-filled chocolate fondant
Miso Ginger Caramel
250g caster sugar
25ml water
90g fresh ginger, finely grated
150ml double cream
150g unsalted butter at room
temperature, diced
45g white miso
Method
Place the sugar and water in a pan and
heat, without boiling, until the sugar
dissolves. Bring to the boil and continue
boiling until golden, brushing the sides
of the pan with a wet brush to avoid
crystallisation.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk
in the ginger. Stir in the cream, being
careful not to split the mixture.
Once the cream is blended into the
mixture, add the butter in 2 or 3 batches,
mixing each one until combined before
adding the next batch. Whisk in the miso.
Miso caramel can be made up to one
week ahead and kept refrigerated in an
airtight container. Serve on its own, with
Yuzu Tart or use like butterscotch poured
over ice-cream or pancakes.
BethMorley
MADE IN JAPAN
Clockwise from above:
The dessert; David
Boucher with Sabine
Schusser; Dessert was
accompanied by a shot
of ultra-chilled sake.
EVENTS & CATERING
Urban Events Venues & Catering, a
division of the Urban Purveyor Group,
operates 20 spectacular venues
throughout New South Wales, Victoria
and Queensland. With a visit to any
of their restaurants, bars or bespoke
venues, you’ll quickly discover that
each venue is as unique as the events
they play host to. Among the award-
winning venues is Saké Restaurant
& Bar, in Sydney, Melbourne and
Brisbane, as well as the historic Argyle
in Sydney’s Rocks, the Cut Bar &
Grill, Ananas Bar & Brasserie and the
infamous Lowenbrau Keller. New uber-
venue, Munich Brauhaus, located at
South Wharf Melbourne, adds to their
Victorian portfolio, providing a unique
and contemporary event space for over
1,000 partygoers.
www.urbanpurveyor.com/venue/
urban-events
www.sakerestaurant.com.au
Quantum Charters
0408 081 651
enquiries@quantumcharters.com.au
www.quantumcharters.com.au