Episode 3 : Wagamama's Food Innovation and Team Culture

Hosted by Kieron Bailey on Restaurant Talk by Save Fry Oil

Guest

Jamie Henderson - Food Development Chef at Wagamama

• 18 years in hospitality, 16 years with Wagamama
• Started as line chef in Leicester, worked his way up through the ranks
• Spent time opening restaurants in the US (New York, Boston)
• Currently part of the food innovation team in London

Key Topics Discussed

Early Career & Wagamama Journey

• Started at Wagamama Leicester (High Cross) straight out of college at 18
• Originally looking for summer work, fell in love with fresh Pan-Asian cooking
• The impact of open kitchens and family meal culture
• Working alongside memorable characters like "Tom on Teppan"

Food Innovation & Development

• Current role in Wagamama's award-winning food development team
• Recent trips to Asia with Steve Mangleshot for menu research and cookbook development
• Focus on whole vegetables vs. processed vegan proteins
• Signature innovations: watermelon tuna, vegan squid using king oyster mushrooms

Kitchen Culture & Leadership

• The importance of family meal and team bonding
• Mentoring younger chefs using the "Kaizen" philosophy (getting better slowly every day)
• Real-time feedback and maintaining standards on the cook line
• How teams pull together during busy services

Restaurant Operations

• Explanation of Wagamama's unique service style (no starters, fresh-cooked sides)
• KDS (Kitchen Display System) technology and its impact
• New self-filtering fryer technology and sustainability initiatives
• Managing customer expectations around the fresh-to-order model

Personal Insights

• What keeps him motivated after 16 years with one brand
• The power of relationships with suppliers
• Music in the kitchen (currently loving "Messy in Heaven")
• Career philosophy: always seeking new challenges

Notable Quotes

"If you walk past them and that's wrong, you're basically saying, yeah, that's fine then, just keep doing it."

"Everyone knows they're in the same boat together and will help each other to get through it."

Company Updates

• Wagamama now operates 165-166 restaurants globally
• Continued expansion in the US (New York, Boston, Texas, Atlanta)
• Recent awards in Casual Dining for food innovation