Say cheese at Uncle Tetsu’s... the Japanese cake shop taking Sydney by storm

The world-famous Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese cheesecake shop has opened in Sydney, drawing crowds eager to get their hands on the famous hot-cake treat.

Heather McNab

2 min read

July 29, 2016 - 1:37PM

CENtRAL

Central Sydney

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It’s cheesecake — but not as you know it.

The world famous Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese cheesecake shop has landed in Sydney, drawing crowds of thousands eager to get their hands on the hot-cake style treat.

The soft and fluffy cheesecakes are a far cry from the cold classics in the pages of Women’s Weekly and are entirely made of Australian ingredients.

Served freshly baked and piping hot by staff from Australia, Taiwan and Japan, the cheesecakes sell as fast as they can be made.

Thousands have lined up to get their hands on a freshly baked cheesecake from Uncle Tetsu’s new store on George St. Picture John Appleyard

More than 14,000 cakes have been sold since the store opened. Picture John Appleyard

Over 14,000 cheesecakes have flown out of Uncle Tetsu’s since it opened ten days ago to eager customers, some of whom have travelled for more than an hour to satisfy their cravings at the George St flagship.

Selling an Original Japanese Cheesecake for $15 and Honey Madeleines, a Japanese take on the French classic treat, for $4, the store is the first of its kind in Australia and the largest in the world.

Fan Imelda Chan said she had been coming down to the store every day since it opened but found the lines too long — only getting her hands on the longawaited cheesecake, which she knew and loved from travel to Japan, yesterday.

“It was worth the wait,” Ms Chan said.

These sentiments are echoed not only by customers, but by Uncle Testu himself — a man who dreamt of opening a cheesecake store in Australia over four decades ago.

“When I was young, 26 years old, my first trip abroad (from Japan) was to Australia ... Australia changed my life,” Uncle Tetsu said.

Uncle Tetsu poses for a photo with Fans Imelda Chan and Emily Liang. Picture: John Appleyard

Sandy Staurack with the chesescake she bought from Uncle Tetsu's. Picture John Appleyard

The 68-year-old fell in love with the country, and was inspired to start his now internationally recognised business, when he tasted Australian cream cheese in Tasmania.

“I thought some day I wanted to make a shop where we use Australian cheese,” Uncle Tetsu said.

Ten years later the first Uncle Tetsu’s opened in Fukuoka in Japan, using the Australian cream cheese which is now the store’s hallmark.

Opening a store in Australia, joining a family of Uncle Tetsu’s in the United States, Canada, Taiwan and it’s home base, Japan, is a wonderful achievement, Uncle Tetsu said.

“Because I dreamt to have my shop in Australia 42 years ago, (it’s) my dream come true,” he said.

Uncle Tetsu, the founder of the eponymous Japanese cheesecake shop. Picture: John Appleyard

Uncle Tetsu opened his store after falling in love with Australian cream cheese. Picture: John Appleyard

The store is set to have queues well into the future — shops in other countries which opened five years ago still have daily line-ups which show no sign of abating.

The success of the chain can’t just be put down to the cheesecake recipe though — it’s the man behind the brand which keep customers lining up.

“It’s because I put my stamp on it,” Uncle Tetsu said.

“Our cheesecakes secret ingredients are Australian cream cheese and Australian butter and Australian milk and Australian egg and Australian flour and sugar — and love,” he said.

The hats worn by Uncle Tetsu’s Australian staff also give a little nod to the store’s new home — featuring a little koala, an iconic image of Australia to many in Japan.