José Osuna (43) watches everything that happens in the room from the bar.

"It is important to listen to the diner and get to know him".

While preparing a couple of tuna nigiris with wagyu fat and caviar, he talks about the new adventure he has embarked on in Madrid, a tall Japanese, in the heart of the Salamanca district, with quite definite signs of identity.

He is called Tora, which means 'tiger' in Japanese.

A self-taught chef who

has never set foot in a catering school in his life

, his professional beginnings are linked to the world of advertising and the nightlife.

"I worked for many years in Ibiza for nightlife venues."

Until he got tired and messed around in other fields.

"I used to go a lot to a Japanese that was near Pachá".

There he caught the bug.

He started working in ship catering and from there he jumped to the kitchen of the Bambuddha Groove restaurant, in Ibiza, led by chef Alejandro Arquero.

"At first I thought I wasn't going to adapt to being in the kitchen because I love being in contact with people."

He adapted and even learned to enjoy it.

After a while, he left the island to take to the asphalt.

In Madrid - he grew up in the Usera neighborhood as a child - he worked in the kitchens of Sushi 99 with David Arauz, KBK with Diego Benito, Kappo de Mario Payán or Saisho, among others.

"

In 2018, I went to Japan for 25 days

."

It was his first time in that country and that always marks.

"My concept changed there. There I saw and learned about the purity of the product. I banished sauces, except for a few exceptions."

On the plate, he always opts for "recognizable" flavors, like that prawn and Padrón pepper nigiri.

"My proposal is based on

the highest quality raw material

, always respecting the purism of Japanese cuisine and adding well-known flavors by fusing them in some dishes," summarizes Osuna.

In July of this year he opened Tora, a project that came to him almost when he had decided to leave the kitchen.

"

I was tired of working 57 hours a week and being quoted half

".

To such an extent he was burned out that he decided to prepare to be a driving school teacher.

"I have a friend in Alcalá de Henares who has driving schools and I took the plunge."

He failed for a subject, "driving licenses", and coincidences of life came the proposal for this new challenge.

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Behind Tora is Mario Hermoso, an Atlético de Madrid player who is making his debut in the world of hospitality.

"Before hiring me, he asked me to come to his house to cook for a group of friends."

As she finished the evening, she told him that she was counting on him.

"I put on the table some conditions for myself and for the team that I considered fair and we started working".

The dishes that are paraded around the bar look like canvases, such as the cod cheeks with pil pil or the spicy tuna tartar with miso soup.

The

Asturian black pudding gyoza

with pears in red wine is an explosion of flavour;

the variety of fusion nigiris becomes a real feast.

There are roasted beef with scallops, mackerel or Wagyu A5 (of the highest quality) with marinade and sprouts.

The oysters and the lamb sweetbread temaki with XO and tartar sauce are essential.

For dessert, a surprising French toast with violet ice cream and sweet yuzu syrup.

On the lower floor of the premises they also have a

reserved area for a maximum of 18 people

-with tables and a bar- where only an omakase menu will be served (with chef's suggestions).

It will consist of 16 passes and will cost 80 euros.

It can also be booked in its entirety, although the price may vary in that case.

The philosophy, yes, remains intact: honest cuisine, with premium products, which in addition to being exquisite also enters through the eyes and always puts the diner at the center.

"The ego of some cooks I've worked with has made me more humble."

Address

: Padilla, 5. Tel: 91 262 12 33.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

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