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In Tony’s words

The Story of Wa Zen

I started off working as a sous chef at an international five-star hotel that many people love, the Hilton hotel. While doing this, I took my knowledge and applied it to my own practice, determined to do more. I started offering Japanese-style food catering of different sorts on the weekends, while still working for Hilton during the week.

Later on, when COVID hit, Hilton had to downsize to stay open and I got retrenched. That didn’t stop me, though. I refused to give up on my passion for Japanese food. I loved expressing Japanese culture through food and sharing that with people.

I always was, and still am, passionate about making healthy Japanese food of the finest quality, and I wanted to share this with the world. I made a plan to start delivering sushi across Midstream estate. I did this from my own kitchen, while the rest of the world was shut down. In getting retrenched, I found an opportunity that would later make my business.

Photo of Tony to come

Tony Wang, founder

How Wa Zen happened

  1. Where it started

    A Hilton kitchen

    Sous chef at the Hilton, an international five-star hotel.

  2. On the weekends

    Catering of my own

    Japanese food, built up alongside the job during the week.

  3. When COVID hit

    Sushi, delivered

    Retrenched, and delivering across Midstream from my own kitchen.

  4. Today

    Five kitchens across Gauteng

    • Kyalami
    • Midstream · where it began
    • Glen Village
    • Montana
    • Randburg

Sous chef to possible franchise owner

With the success that I found, when lockdown was over I started up my own restaurant and called it Wa Zen. That also hit it off, so much so that I now own and run five Wa Zen restaurants across Gauteng. With all that I have already created, I am opening up two or three more, with the plan to make my dream of Wa Zen into a franchise.

Modern Japanese cuisine

Eating well, the Japanese way.

For me, Japanese cooking comes down to a few simple things done well: fresh fish and vegetables, properly prepared rice and quality seaweed. At Wa Zen, I love bringing new ideas to the plate, but my foundations always stay underneath.

Here, sushi can be a truly balanced meal. Salmon, tuna and prawn bring protein and omega-3s. Nori adds vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The rice and vegetables round it all out.

How do you like to eat?

Fresh raw fish, kept simple: sliced on its own, laid over a little rice, or rolled with avocado and cucumber.

A guide, not a guarantee: if you have an allergy, are vegetarian or need to avoid raw fish, check with the store before you order.

On the days you’d rather treat yourself, the deep-fried rolls are right there too. Not sure where to start? Let the finder pick.

Fresh, every time.

I still love making sushi and Japanese food as much as I did on day one. I hold every Wa Zen kitchen to the same standard I set at home: the freshest ingredients, the finest quality meals, and sushi made properly. It’s the same care that went into those very first orders from my home kitchen. The restaurant has grown, but that rule has never changed.

Taste it for yourself

Order for collection from any of our five kitchens, or find the one closest to you.

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