Drawing upon his Japanese heritage as well his classical and modern training, Chef Jacob Kear’s cuisine balances the past with the present, and what’s natural with what’s modern.Using local and foraged ingredients, Kear’s dishes also incoporate Eastern and Western cooking techniques.Like His cuisine, kear himself is as blend of different cultures. Born to a Caucasian father, and Japanese mother in California, Kear first went to Japan when he was only six months old. There as a small child Kear use to forage Japanese vegetables with his grandmother every time his family went to their cabin in Nagano right next to Lake Nojiriko.
He moved back with his family to the San Jose, California when he was twelve. After completing culinary school at Le Cordon Blleu in Pasadena and working in few hotel kitchens in Southern California, Kear won a national competition broadcast on the Food Network that caught the attention of a new restaurant in Korea where he became the executive chef at only twenty four years of age. Due to visa issues, that job lasted only a short time. Kear shortly thereafter returned to Japan. This time for three years as a chef at the Michelin starred Tapas Molecular Bar on the thirty-eight floor of Mandarin Oriental in Tolyo. here, under the direction of Jose Andres protege Chef Jeff Ramsey, Kear prepared molecular cuisine for guests who visited from around the world.
After returning to California, Kear worked with Chef Sang Yoon developing the menu for Lukshon, a restaurant that opened in 2010. After leaving Lukshon for another oppportunity Kear ventured to Copenhegan where he spent time in the kitchen at Noma. Kear’s intense time at Nona was trasformative. Chef Rene Redzepi became kear’s mentor. After working as a chef partner in the Amalur Project and as a private chef for celebrities like Leonardo Dicaprio, Kear rekindled his relationship wih Redezepi as part of Noma Japan team back again in Tokyo a floor below where he had worked previosuly in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Noma Japan team back again in Tokyo a floor below where he had worked previously n the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Noma Japan completed the circle for Kea, and help him coherantly tie together his upbringing and his training that is simultaneously modern, natural and traditional. Since his time again in Tokyo, Kear has further explored foraged local ingredients in Australia and help im coherantly tie together his upbringing and his training that is simultaneously modern, natural and traditional. Since his time again in Tokyo, Kear ha ss further explored foraged locel ingredients in Australia and New Zealand including a pop-up at Roots Restaurant near Christehurch.
- Winner of Metro Magazine’s best degustation menu,2014
- 3 hats,18/20 | Cuisine Good Food Guide, 2013/14
- Chef of the year, 2013 | Cuisine Good Food Guide
- 9.5/10 rating | Viva,NZ Herald 2013
- Winner of Metro Magazine’sbest fine dining, 2012
Clooney’s
33 Sale Street
Freemans Bay
Auckland
New Zealand
+64 9 358-1702