It feels like this is the chef everyone has been waiting for, as Hao Chen takes to the stage for the Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstration at this year's Narooma Oyster Festival.
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Hao, hatted chef from Raku, Canberra, is a celebrity with a loyal base of fans in the audience, evident as they explode with applause at his entrance.
His serious and quiet demeanour reflects a serious and surprisingly simple style of cooking, and he was a glory to watch.
Alongside Hao, who is the founder and executive chef at Raku, is sushi chef Ben, who also exudes quiet confidence.
The show is simply spectacular from the get-go as Ben enters the stage carrying a rather large whole king fish on a platter.
On the menu that day was kingfish sashimi with yuzu truffle dressing, and of course, rock oysters with Tosazu dressing and rock oysters with miso cream vinegar.
In what would take an ordinary human half an hour or more, Hao has the kingfish filleted within minutes.
Using a very heavy, large knife to get through the spine and remove the head, he then switched knives to remove the two fillets cleanly and seamlessly.
The fish spine complete is held up by host Courtney Roulston of Farm to Fork, and barely a slither of flesh is left.
The bones and head are destined for Hao's stock pot for dashi stock.
Hao then slices the kingfish fillets into almost transparent pieces, carefully filling the bamboo serving trays as he works.
Sashimi, he said, is not as simple as filleting raw fish, but that there is much work in the processing of the fish, and the choice of fish is crucial. The knife Hao uses is a Yanagiba knife, polished daily with four different grades of stone.
Hao, born in Shanghai, was attracted to Japanese cuisine, as opposed to Chinese cooking as he found it "beautiful, elegant and small".
He insists on only using Japanese ingredients - very traditional, though with a modern twist.
Raku is an ambitious restaurant, open seven days a week, employing 65 staff with seating for 180 diners.
Hao moved to Canberra in 2017. Within six years he had opened his own venue and been awarded his first chef's hat by the Australian Good Food Guide.
Meanwhile, back in Narooma, chef Ben is skillfully working away on the dressings and garnishes for the main features.
When all the servings of kingfish are plated up, Hao presents them himself to the beckoning audience. Like a flock of gulls they descend on the platters and there goes a whole kingfish.
The oysters come out in two serves, again with Hao graciously attending the audience. He recognised some of his regulars from his restaurant and greeted them warmly.
The demonstration over, Hao takes a moment to reflect on his first visit to Narooma.
"It's my first time in Narooma, it's a beautiful place. We went on the oyster tour yesterday and had a lot of oysters in the boat, with Damon," he said.
"The inlet is so beautiful - I should come here with the family and the kids."
When asked if was expecting the rock star reception he received, Hao is embarrassed.
"No no no, certainly not. I'm just a chef, I don't think I am a celebrity chef...but one day I want to be a master, not a chef," he said.
"Chef to master is a long journey, very difficult - this is my goal."
