“This is surreal,” himself says halfway through our dinner at Wa Cafe in Galway, and he means it as a compliment. He’s been a regular visitor to Japan for years but still struggles with the language, which can make certain types of restaurants a little tricky.

“Omakase is amazing, but often the language barrier means you don’t know what you’re having,” he says, referring to a style of dining that translates as ‘I leave it …