Dubai in one word? “Best.” The dish he’s most excited for diners to react to? Abalone. Midnight snack of choice? Korean spicy ramen with kimchi. If he could cook for anyone, living or dead? “My parents.” And the one ingredient Akira Back cannot live without? Red wine.
Hints at the life of a chef whose career has been anything but conventional. Born in Seoul and raised in Aspen, Back first thrived in the world of professional snowboarding – a pursuit defined by adrenaline, discipline, and travel. “Snowboarding gave me the chance to travel, meet people from different cultures, and discover how food plays such a big role in people’s lives,” he says. “It naturally all played a big part in how I cook today.”
The lessons of movement, exploration, and instinct carried him into kitchens, where his path was never planned but somehow inevitable. “I never set out to become a chef,” he admits. “But the moment I stepped into a kitchen I was drawn in. At first, it was the discipline and almost military-like structure; later, it was the limitless creativity. The ability to craft something with my hands that brings joy to others is an unmatched feeling – it’s what continues to inspire me every day.”
Back’s cuisine reflects the geography of his life. Japanese techniques meet Korean heritage, filtered through experiences across the world, from Paris to Las Vegas to Seoul. His food is precise yet playful, layered yet immediate. Shima Aji with Yuzu Ponzu, Red Prawn with Angake Sauce, Wagyu Tacos, and Tuna Pizza are more than dishes – they are stories rendered edible. “My food isn’t fusion for the sake of it; it’s me,” he says. “Growing up Korean, training in Japanese cuisine, traveling the world – it all finds its way onto the plate.”
Dubai has become a defining chapter. On 24 September, Back unveiled the Time Capsule Menu at W Dubai – The Palm, a six-course, one-night-only experience tracing his career in reverse – from contemporary creations to flavours from his formative years, concluding with a persimmon dessert inspired by his childhood in Seoul. Each course was paired with music from the era it represents, allowing diners to experience taste alongside memory. Guests even left with MP3 players carrying the soundtrack, signed by the chef. “There’s something special about hearing a song you haven’t heard in years; it instantly takes you back to that moment, those memories and the feelings you had at the time,” Back explains.
The dishes themselves were unapologetically bold. The A5 Ribeye Miso Yaki with Ume Hollandaise was indulgent, the Red Prawn with Angake Sauce delicate yet sharp, and abalone – the dish he was most excited for diners to encounter – danced between surprise and reverence. But beyond technique, flavour, and presentation, the menu was storytelling, a culinary autobiography expressed in six courses. “I want guests to take away a sense of my journey, the experiences and moments that shaped my cooking,” he says.
Dubai has also become fertile ground for experimentation. “It was the first Akira Back in the Middle East – a huge milestone for me,” he reflects. “People here are curious, open, and looking for experiences. That makes it exciting to cook for them.” Ingredients such as black lemon and saffron have begun appearing in his menus, connecting his cuisine to local culture while allowing him to innovate within it.
Even at the peak of international recognition, Back maintains grounding rituals: midnight Korean ramen with kimchi, cooking for his parents, and red wine the one ingredient he says he cannot live without. Looking ahead, he imagines future “time capsule” moments, though he is deliberately evasive about specifics. “Only time will tell,” he says with a smile.
