Sion Park is the chef at Yakitori 38. Photo: Supplied.
Who are you?
Sion Park, I’m a chef at Yakitori 38.
Tell me about Yakitori 38
“Yakitori” comes from yaki (grilled) and tori (chicken) — simple enough. But the “38” carries a hidden story. It’s inspired by the Japanese card game Hanafuda, where the March card (3) represents planting and the August card (8) represents harvest — the beginning and end of a farmer’s year. In Korea, that combo – 3 and 8 – is known as an unbeatable hand. Symbolically, it represents our roots: a Japanese-style restaurant run by Koreans, mixing two cultures in one hibachi.
At the end of the day, I just want Yakitori 38 to be a fun, flavourful place people love to be in.
How did you get involved in the hospitality industry?
I came to Australia on a working holiday in 2014 and started as a kitchen hand at Cascade Brewery in Tasmania. Later, I studied hospitality in Perth, focusing on front of house, then returned to Korea for my mandatory military service. After that, I worked in a noodle house and a sashimi restaurant, and that’s when I realised this was truly my path.
When I came back to Australia, I joined RAKU in Canberra as a commi chef [entry-level chef] and eventually worked my way up to sous chef.
If you weren’t in the hospitality industry, what would you be doing instead?
Maybe I’d be a fisherman. My mum’s family’s from the coast, and I’ve always loved the sea and seafood. It feels like something that’d fit me.
What is your food philosophy?
“We cook because people exist.” Cooking only becomes complete when someone’s there to eat. My mother used to say, “Food is never a joke”. That stuck with me. Honest hands, warm heart: that’s all you need to feed someone sincerely.
What is your favourite or must-use ingredient when cooking?
Soy sauce. It’s simple, yet it’s also profound, and its meaning changes entirely depending on the type, age, and timing. I think soy sauce shows a chef’s personality.
Oversized Futomaki sushi is plump discs with colourful wedges. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
What Canberra venues do you love?
Canberra actually has so many good spots: RAKU, of course, Greasy Monkey for a solid burger, and Pilot for something refined. But if we’re talking about a true “hidden gem” … I might cheekily say Yakitori 38 itself!
Who do you admire in the Canberra food scene?
Hide-san, the Japanese sushi chef from RAKU. He’s been my mentor since day one. His discipline and humility have shaped the way I cook and the way I think about people.
Where’s the best place for a drink in Canberra?
For drinks, I love Molly. The atmosphere makes the drinks taste even better. People sometimes walk into our back door at Yakitori 38 thinking it’s Molly: it’s literally one block away! It’s happened so many times that it’s become a running joke.
Who is your dream dinner party guest, and what would you make them?
I could say some famous chef, but honestly, my dream guests are my mum, my brother, and my loved ones back home in Korea. My cooking has always been for the people I care about most.
What is your current food obsession?
For about a year now, I’ve been obsessed with Asian-style noodle dishes using pasta noodles.
What’s the best thing you ate this week?
I’ll go with our staff meal, a stir-fry made from leftover meat scraps. Every chef knows that feeling: those quick, thrown-together meals during service breaks often taste like gold.
Silken pouches of Wagyu scotch fillet, cabbage, and caramelised onion with a citrus soy dipping sauce. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
What’s a food that reminds you of your childhood?
Grilled fish, for sure. My mum used to make it often. Also, soggy instant noodles or black bean noodles: they bring me right back to those warm, chaotic, happy moments at home.
What’s a normal breakfast for you?
Most days, nothing. But when I have time, I go for boiled eggs. On special mornings, I’ll even grill pork belly — breakfast is sometimes the only chance I get to eat properly.
When you can’t be bothered to cook for yourself, where do you go and what do you eat?
Confession time! I love fast food. Especially a triple cheeseburger from McDonald’s. It’s foolproof comfort. But lately, I’ve been hooked on Banh Mi Co in No Name Lane.
What are your travel plans?
My last trip was to Japan, and I’d go again in a heartbeat. But my dream destinations are New York, Dubai and Singapore. I’d love to taste how Japanese cuisine evolves in different corners of the world.
Tell me something you love about living in Canberra?
Canberra has this kind of peaceful boredom that I love. There’s beauty in the slowness. It’s a city connected to nature.
What TV show have you been enjoying recently?
Not much TV anymore. I watch a lot of cooking channels on YouTube and read Korean webtoons when I need to unwind.
An easy one to finish – what’s your go-to coffee order?
Iced long black, classic Korean style. But lately, I’ve been into lactose-free flat whites.
