Hosted by Kieron Bailey on Restaurant Talk by Save Fry Oil
Guest
Jamie Henderson - Food Development Chef at Wagamama
- 18 years in hospitality, 16 years with Wagamama
- Started as line chef in Leicester, worked his way up through the ranks
- Spent time opening restaurants in the US (New York, Boston)
- Currently part of the food innovation team in London
Key Topics Discussed
Early Career & Wagamama Journey
- Started at Wagamama Leicester (High Cross) straight out of college at 18
- Originally looking for summer work, fell in love with fresh Pan-Asian cooking
- The impact of open kitchens and family meal culture
- Working alongside memorable characters like "Tom on Teppan"
Food Innovation & Development
- Current role in Wagamama's award-winning food development team
- Recent trips to Asia with Steve Mangleshot for menu research and cookbook development
- Focus on whole vegetables vs. processed vegan proteins
- Signature innovations: watermelon tuna, vegan squid using king oyster mushrooms
Kitchen Culture & Leadership
- The importance of family meal and team bonding
- Mentoring younger chefs using the "Kaizen" philosophy (getting better slowly every day)
- Real-time feedback and maintaining standards on the cook line
- How teams pull together during busy services
Restaurant Operations
- Explanation of Wagamama's unique service style (no starters, fresh-cooked sides)
- KDS (Kitchen Display System) technology and its impact
- New self-filtering fryer technology and sustainability initiatives
- Managing customer expectations around the fresh-to-order model
Personal Insights
- What keeps him motivated after 16 years with one brand
- The power of relationships with suppliers
