Where Japanese Chef-Turned-Knife-Expert Kazuki “Kaz” Hanzawa Goes for a Taste of Home

Kazuki “Kaz” Hanzawa has built a reputation around precision. As the owner of Kaz’s Knife and Kitchenware in Prahran and Zan Shin Japanese Knife on Little Collins Street, he’s the person many Melbourne chefs trust to keep their blades in peak condition.

He moved to Melbourne more than 15 years ago from Japan with little to no English, working in restaurants and spending years behind the pass before entering the business of knives. He still misses the rhythm of kitchen service, but sees his work now as an extension of the craft – a way to champion technique, pass on knowledge and stay connected to the industry.

Those ties matter to him, especially when homesickness hits. Like the beautiful human connections and sense of belonging in the new film Rental Family – set in his home country of Japan – Hanzawa’s relationship to food is anchored in memory. When he’s craving the flavours he grew up with, here’s where he goes.

Cornerstone & Co

For breakfast, Hanzawa suggests Cornerstone & Co, where he once worked as head chef. “I was there five years, and during that period I introduced lots of Japanese food,” he says. The influence remains. Okonomiyaki, slow-cooked duck udon noodles and ingredients like nori and panko are threaded through the menu, which pairs cafe favourites with Japanese flavours.

Tomo’s Japanese

If he’s leaving the city, he’ll head to Tomo’s in Inverloch. It was the first kitchen he joined after moving to Australia – and one of the few Japanese restaurants in the area at the time. “This is where I learned many fundamentals of Japanese cooking and the importance of knife sharpening,” he says. Dinner runs more formally, but lunch leans casual with bento boxes and set meals.

Izakaya Chouchou

Hanzawa grew up in Hokkaido, one of Japan’s seafood capitals, so he’s sensitive to the way fish is handled. For pristine sashimi and a menu that bridges classical French cuisine with Japanese technique, he points to Izakaya Chouchou in Glen Iris. He reckons it’s home to some of the city’s most “authentic, proper sushi”, with a loyal Japanese following.

Robata

He also rates Robata in the CBD – and not just because the chefs in the kitchen work with his knives. While the venue is known for its smoky yakitori, Hanzawa admires the team’s sushi skills and the level of care put into the seafood program.

Izakaya by Tamura

When it comes to ramen, Melbourne boasts many options, but Hanzawa’s favourite isn’t even from a dedicated ramen joint. Better known for snacks and saké, turns out the ramen at Izakaya by Tamura in Fitzroy is a sleeper hit. “[They serve] the best ramen I’ve ever eaten in Melbourne,” he says. “They make the stocks and everything, and have different noodle types as well.”

Sakedokoro Namara

For a nightcap, Hanzawa is partial to Sakedokoro Namara in North Melbourne – a spot that shares his Hokkaido roots. (“Namara” is a regional Hokkaido term meaning “very”.) As a saké distributor, the bar stocks an excellent range of saké and shochu, plus snack-centric omakase sets.

Bounty of the Sun

And for a true izakaya feel – the kind of place where you can settle in for hours over small plates and drinks – he heads to Bounty of the Sun in Balaclava. “These guys are fantastic,” Hanzawa says. “They do beautiful customer service, nice atmosphere, the food is always tasty, and they have the standard of Japan.”

For more Japanese spots to try in Melbourne, check out our guides to the city’s best Japanese restaurants and best Japanese cafes.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Searchlight Pictures’ Rental Family. Catch the heartwarming film – starring Brendan Fraser as an American actor in Japan struggling to find purpose until he lands a gig playing stand-in roles for strangers – only in cinemas Boxing Day.