Article from the Nichigo Press Internship Program
Kenny Takayama was once head chef at the “Bills” flagship cafe, famous for serving the “world’s best breakfast.” He now runs two cafes in Sydney. The first is “Cafe Oratnek,” located about a 10-minute walk from Central Station. The second is “Cafe Kentaro,” located about a 15-minute walk from Cafe Oratnek. In this article, we interview Kenny Takayama, the owner of “Cafe Oratnek,” and review some of his dishes as sampled by our reporting team.
(Text and photos by Kentaro Kondo, Chihiro Kaneko, Airisa Rahman Fatima, Translated from Japanese by Sachi Kobayashi Pirola)
At the time of our visit, Cafe Oratnek’s special was the pork katsu sandwich. Starring 200g of pork, it was meaty and satisfying. The fresh, crunchy cabbage paired perfectly with the juicy pork coated in a crispy batter. We also tried the omurice, hayashi rice, and matcha lamingtons. Lamingtons are a dessert that originated in Australia, and the matcha lamington, which combines lamingtons with matcha, is a superb combination that matches the bitterness of matcha with the moderate sweetness of coconut and sponge cake.
The owner and chef’s commitment to the menu
At Cafe Oratnek, everything is made from scratch; ingredients prepared for the day are used within the same day, there are no microwaves in the cafe, and there are no commercially produced flavour enhancers or seasonings. Furthermore, Cafe Oratnek follows a “seasonal” theme, whereby the menu changes four times a year, every three months. For example, they served chilled Chinese noodles in the summer, which were apparently very popular. One of the draws to the store are the limited menus that change seasonally. That being said, there are also staple menu items that can be enjoyed regardless of the season, such as pork katsu sandwiches, omurice, and hayashi rice.
Mr. Takayama says, “In my case, I make what I think is delicious, and I hope that people who agree with me will come to my restaurant. If I myself don’t believe it’s delicious, there’s no way I can turn it into something delicious. It’s essential to put genuine love into it.” He continues, “Everyone’s food preferences are different, so trying to cater to everyone’s tastes is futile. Instead of making what sells well, I focus on serving what I truly find delicious and what I want to eat, and it seems that the customers tend to follow.”
Attention to detail in the interior and exterior design
Mr. Takayama puts a lot of thought into not only Cafe Oratnek’s menu, but also into its interior and exterior design. The interior of the shop features a pure white ceiling and concrete floors, with Mr. Takayama himself carving away the walls to create a rustic look. The espresso machine (a key feature of the shop), along with the lampshades, window frames and door frames, are all coordinated in a soft retro green. This green is Mr. Takayama’s favourite colour, reflecting the shop’s themes of “natural,” “modern,” “simple,” and “rustic.” The interior, where retro green stands out as Oratnek’s choice colour, has a calming atmosphere that makes it easy to spend time in.
Although it is not a particularly large cafe, this shop, which attracts long lines every day, has an open kitchen plan. The size and layout of the restaurant reflect Mr. Takayama’s desire to see the reactions of customers.
One day, Mr. Takayama saw a customer waiting in the rain with a baby in his arms, and he thought this was no good, so he opened his second store, “Cafe Kentaro,” with ample space under a roof for customers to wait under. He says that he is not planning to open any more stores at the moment, and he also has no plans to expand the space of Cafe Oratnek. When asked about his attitude towards work, he replied, “Every day, I work hard, aiming not for 80 points, but for 120 points.”
Through this interview, we were able to learn about the thoughts and dedication that Takayama has poured into his cafe. We hope that you will visit Cafe Oratnek to experience the carefully crafted dishes and considered atmosphere of the café first-hand.
After the interview
The atmosphere inside the cafe was warm and relaxing. The food was served fresh, so it was piping hot and so delicious that it was almost melting. I’d definitely like to go back again.
（Chihiro Kaneko）
I had a great time after this interview at Cafe Oratnek. The owner, Mr. Takayama, was happy to be interviewed and it was easy to talk to him. He served us many dishes, all of which were excellent, and I would recommend them all. If I have the opportunity, I would like to meet Mr. Takayama again and try the food at Cafe Oratnek once more.
（Kentaro Kondo）
I was glad to have the opportunity to conduct an interview at Cafe Oratnek. After listening to his perspectives, I felt that Mr. Takayama takes great care in the preparation of each and every dish. The food was also delicious, and I would like to go back to eat there again.
（Airisa Rahman Fatima）
* This article was written by six students from Tokyo Keizai University who participated in Nichigo Press’ internship program over a two-week period. Starting from February 12th, they visited cafes and restaurants in Sydney and conducted interviews. Other articles can be found below.
