5 Q’s with Aki Nishikura
Aki. Photographed by Allison Foat/CapeTownDiva
Meet Aki Nishikura, bar & restaurant operator. Singapore/Cape Town.
- Tell us what you do for a living?
I am a bar and restaurant operator together with my partner Luke Whearty. We own 2 businesses internationally, one in Singapore called Operation Dagger and the newest one is situated in Cape Town on 88 Shortmarket Street called Outrage of Modesty (between the House of Machines and The Shortmarket Club).
- What is your passion – what inspires you?
I just love the combination of good food, drinks and design. I’ve grown up with a hospitality back ground with my Dad being a Japanese sushi chef, so have always been exposed to the food side of things. Then in terms of design I love designing new spaces and incorporating the food side into it.
- What is it you love about Cape Town?
Cape Town has become a home-away-from-home for both Luke & myself. Capetonians have been so welcoming to us and we really look forward tour return visits. The city is also quite similar to my home town of Melbourne in so many ways, so this made it very easy for us to adapt.
- Name a favourite travel destination & tell us why you love it?
I love travelling in general so very hard to just pick one destination however I recently went to Copenhagen for the first time and absolutely loved it! Such a beautiful city, with so much going for it. I really loved the fact that everyone rides their bicycles to and from work. It was my favorite thing to do in Copenhagen and it’s a great way to experience the city so I highly recommend it. Also the food in Copenhagen is amazing! We had the privilege of eating at Noma and that was fantastic, however so much of the local food at smaller places in and around the city were also great. One of my favourite spots while we were there was Manfred’s that not only has an amazing natural wine list but also the best beef tartare in the world!
- What are a few of your favourite things in life and what is your pet peeve?
To be honest, I love the simple things, like staying at home, cooking a meal and sharing a bottle of wine with friends. My family is a big part of my life and also my dogs! It’s one of the things I miss most when traveling is having to spend time away from them!
My pet peeve would have to be the lack of common courtesy these days, especially with the younger generation. Simple things like saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are becoming more and more rare which really pisses me off. A simple ‘please,’ ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry’ goes a long way in my book. Also animal cruelty is something that I just cannot tolerate.
Below are a few of Aki & Luke’s creations at Outrage of Modesty (OoM). The menu offering changes seasonally. Follow @outrageofmodesty & @lukewookie on Instagram >
The Chocolate-Mint…raw cacao, chocolatemint, coffee, mint oil. Photo by Andy Lund
The Treacle…agave,toasted oats, cinnamon, vinegar, green apple air. Photographed by Andy Lund
Luke & Aki
Outrage of Modesty
Aki…an inspirational creative & honorary Capetonian!
