Julio Hernández, head chef at Akira Back Tenerife in The Ritz-Carlton Abama, says his passion for Asian cuisine began during his early years as a chef and eventually led him on culinary journeys across the continent.
Born in La Orotava, Hernández now leads the kitchen at the Michelin-recommended restaurant in Guía de Isora, where he works alongside the internationally renowned Korean-American chef Akira Back.
A Passion Sparked by Japanese Cuisine
Hernández’s interest in Japanese cooking began while completing his training at the former Kabuki restaurant under chef Daniel Franco.
That experience inspired him to travel extensively through Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam, exploring local food and learning from different culinary traditions.
“I travelled across Asia just to eat, to learn as much as I could and try everything possible. Little by little, I became hooked,” Hernández said.
He has now spent around 15 years working in the restaurant that originally operated under Ricardo Sanz before becoming Akira Back Tenerife.
Local Ingredients with an Asian Influence
While Akira Back brings a modern interpretation of Asian cuisine, Hernández says the philosophy in Tenerife is to recreate the chef’s recipes using the island’s exceptional local produce.
The restaurant works closely with local fishermen on a daily basis, sourcing seasonal fish caught around the Canary Islands whenever possible.
“We speak with the fishermen almost every day to see what has arrived, and we always try to offer seasonal fish from our waters,” Hernández explained.
Akira Back has previously praised Tenerife’s seafood, saying some of the island’s fish rivals, and in some cases even surpasses, what he has experienced in Korea and Japan.
More Than Just a Restaurant
According to Hernández, Akira Back’s concept extends well beyond the food itself.
He describes the restaurant as an experience that combines gastronomy with art, music and design to create a memorable atmosphere from the moment guests arrive.
Despite overseeing a global restaurant group, Hernández says Akira Back has remained flexible in adapting dishes to local tastes while encouraging the team to make the most of Tenerife’s outstanding ingredients.