F1
Fast Foodie: Yuki Tsunodas' favourite dishes
Yuki Tsunodas' passion for speed is more than matched by his appreciation of fine dining. Here, F1’s galloping gourmet reveals his top dishes from everywhere his racing career has taken him.
“I don’t know why I have this passion for food. I think a big part of it is that I’m Japanese and when first I came to Europe, I came across lots of food culture from around the world, but I soon realised that Japanese food is really good and I missed it. So I tried to find tasty, good quality food in Europe and I think that was the start. I’ve always loved food ever since I was a kid and my motivation depended on the quality of the food I’d have that day. It’s strange because I don’t think it came from my parents, it was just an interest I developed.
It’s been really interesting in Formula 1 to discover new things. I still think Japanese food is my favourite but I do enjoy other cuisines, Italian and Mexican food, especially tacos. This year I’m looking forward to going to Singapore and sampling the street food there. So far in my racing career I’ve lived in four countries. Japan, obviously, and then Switzerland, the UK and Italy. I definitely have favourite dishes from each of those places, so here they are...”
01
Switzerland: Fondue
After a junior career in karts and success in Formula 4 with Honda’s junior programme, Yuki’s performances led to a test in Europe, with the Motopark team, at the Hungaroring. Keeping a keen eye on the timesheets was Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko. Tsunoda impressed and was offered a spot in the Red Bull Junior Programme. Yuki leapt at the chance and was soon on his way to central Europe, signing for Formula 3 team Jenzer for the 2019 season and figuring out how to navigate Swiss menus and supermarket shelves.
Yuki: “I lived in Switzerland three years ago when I was racing in F3. It was my first time living in Europe and I didn’t know how to cook at all. But because I didn’t speak French and was afraid to go to restaurants by myself, I had to learn how to cook. Usually I just grabbed whatever ingredients I could find in the supermarket and figured it out by myself – breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was cooking every day, 365 days of the year. Naturally, you become a better cook, especially of Japanese food. But I would definitely like to learn more about cooking if I have time. When I did go out to restaurants I’d order cheese fondue. That’s absolutely delicious and I still really miss it. So that would be my pick for Swiss food."
02
United Kingdom: Fish & Chips
Yuki moved to the UK for 2020 and made his debut in Formula 2. As a Red Bull Junior Team driver, he naturally gravitated to Milton Keynes, close to Red Bull Racing’s factory and a drive away from the Surrey base of his Carlin F2 team. And in the UK he developed a taste for a British staple...
Yuki: “The UK is a easy choice – it’s fish and chips, of course. To my surprise, I developed a liking for fish and chips when I moved to England and, even now, every time I’m in the simulator (at Red Bull Racing) I order it. Although, because of the movement of the simulator, it can make me feel sick!”
03
Italy: Penne Arrabiata
A steady diet of fish and chips and a marathon session of the PES football game on the PS4 with racing driver friends Tadasuke Makino and Nirei Fukuzumi was just about acceptable while Yuki was in junior series, but once he stepped up to F1 in 2021 it became clear he needed to change his routine and get into shape. Tsunoda was shipped to Faenza in Italy to be close to AlphaTauri’s factory and team boss Franz Tost personally supervised the Japanese driver’s fitness regime. It worked, although Yuki’s head is still likely to be turned by a perfectly prepared bowl of pasta...
Yuki: “I love Italian food. My favourite restaurant at the moment is the place I go to when I’m in Italy. In fact, I go there pretty much every day when I’m at the factory. It’s really chilled and I go for lunch and dinner. I’m on good terms with the owner of the restaurant as well, so it’s nice and it’s also really close to where I live. In terms of the dishes I enjoy, well, I like pasta, but I have to be more specific, right? Ragù is nice. But I like arrabbiata as well. It’s simple and really delicious when it’s done well. So, yeah, it’s Arrabbiata for me.”
04
Japan – Sukiyaki, motsunabe, various types of ramen, good sushi
Despite Tsunoda’s itinerant lifestyle and restless questing for international culinary delights, it’s only when he starts talking about the comforts of home food that he gets really animated. If there’s such a thing as soul food, Yuki reckons it’s to be found in a bowl of good Japanese soup...
Yuki: “Ah, Japan. This is where it gets difficult. I’ll start by saying I love Sukiyaki, which is like meat which you cook at the table in hot soy sauce and water. Does that make sense? It’s like shabu-shabu but with soy sauce. And also motsunabe, which again, is a similar kind of soup, but with a lot of vegetables and also beef fat in it.
I do like ramen as well. There’s seafood ramen... well, the dashi (the stock) is made from seafood and it’s delicious. I’m getting excited about it now! So I like that one and, of course, also Tonkotsu, which is made from pork bones. Ramen is something you can eat everywhere. A lot of those are places you go after a party, you know, you want something to eat after all the alcohol and that’s when you eat ramen! If money is no object then I’d urge anyone going to Tokyo to seek out a really good sushi place. Not a casual sushi bar, but a proper specialist restaurant that only has six or eight seats and is nice and private. That would be best.
But even if you were to drop into a normal, casual place in Tokyo, the food is going to be so much better than your California rolls! But if you don’t fancy good sushi, then I definitely recommend Sukiyaki.”