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Aside from having access to an abundance of freshly made spicy tuna hand rolls, there is a surprising benefit of being a sushi chef: Aging. The Unexpected Benefits of Growing Older as a Sushi Chef I don't know about you, but many things in my life weren’t planned or even dreamt of. Becoming a sushi chef and teaching thousands of people how to make a Rainbow Roll was never a childhood dream. Like many of my friends, I wanted to be a baseball player or a superhero (Power Ranger, anyone?). But as life would have it, being a sushi chef comes with its own unique benefits, one of which is age. During our usual morning coffee chat, my wife mentioned something that struck me: "Your sushi tastes better now than it did ten years ago." It’s interesting because I feel like I haven’t changed much. Yet, deep down, I know my sushi has improved over the past decade. In the past, I wrote about our well-used wooden cutting boards, full of scratches and marks. We could replace them with new ones, but I believe the old ones have character. Every scratch tells a story of someone who took a class and made a Rainbow Roll. Like those boards, I see myself getting better with age. Being a sushi chef is one of those rare professions where experience truly enhances the craft. As I gain more knowledge and understanding, my sushi tastes better. I now know why many online recipes for "perfect" rice often fail. It’s not just about knowing more, but understanding more. This deeper understanding allows me to teach a better class as well. Both teaching and making sushi improve with experience. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what makes my sushi taste so much better now than before. I suppose it’s the accumulation of small adjustments. For instance, I now cure salmon with sugar first, then with salt. Previously, I used to cure it with a mix of sugar and salt. You wouldn’t think it makes a difference, but it does— it tastes different. The same goes for my sushi classes. I often joke, "It’s the same class I’ve been teaching for the past ten years, with the same jokes." In some ways, that’s true, but if you compare today’s class with the one from ten years ago, it’s almost a completely different experience. My sushi is the same way. It’s almost unrecognizable compared to ten years ago. How different? I honestly don’t know. I just know it is a better class. Soon, I'll be visiting a private client we haven’t served in five years. I’ll be introducing them to new dishes and sushi they’ve never experienced before. I’m excited to hear what they’ll say. I’ve heard that so-called "breakthroughs" don’t happen overnight. They’re the result of daily, incremental steps that eventually lead to something remarkable. When that breakthrough happens, we only see the final step, not the 99% that lies beneath the surface. I guess everything I’ve done over the past decade is hidden beneath the water. You might only be seeing the tip of the iceberg, but as I grow older, what’s beneath the surface keeps expanding. If you haven’t seen me or tasted my sushi recently, maybe you’ll notice the difference. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email  to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

COOKING TIME Total: 30 - 40 minutes Sushi is simple, but if you've never made it before, I understand creating homemade Sushi can be challenging. Before you can learn to look for what kind of fish you need to purchase for your Sushi (i.e. Sushi grade fish), there is one important step you need to make: Sushi Rice. I've written some recipes for cooking Sushi Rice, but most of them call for using rice cooker. Many of my Sushi class participants (both in-person and especially online) told me they would like to know how to cook rice using a pot. So in this recipe, I am going to walk you through step by step so you can make rice using a pot instead of the rice cooker. Even if you are a beginner in cooking rice, my hope is your rice will come out as "perfectly" as it can so you can go on to your next step in your "homemade" Sushi journey! Making Sushi Rice is a multi-step process. I will cover each step and then, the recipe in the end. Before I get into these steps, here is one important fact: Sushi Rice is Rice seasoned with Sushi Vinegar. Sushi Vinegar is a combination of rice vinegar, sugar and salt. You may have seen rice labeled as "Sushi Rice" at the supermarket or online. Cooking that "Sushi Rice" does NOT automatically make it "Sushi Rice." You need to add Sushi Vinegar. Here are the four steps we need to cover in this article: Which type of rice for Sushi (INGREDIENTS) Which Vinegar for Sushi Vinegar (INGREDIENTS) Cooking Rice (RECIPE) Making Sushi Vinegar and Mixing with Rice (RECIPE) All right. Let's get things rolling! 1. WHICH RICE SHOULD I USE FOR HOMEMADE SUSHI?? TYPE OF RICE TO LOOK FOR White Short Grain Rice (rice grown in Japan) White Medium Grain Japanese Rice (more Japanese rice grown in the US) White Sushi Rice BRAND TO PURCHASE Lundberg Organic Sushi Rice (My recommendation) Nishiki Kokuho Rose Tamaki Gold What Is Japanese Rice? Short grain and Medium Grain Rice. Japanese Rice is Short Grain Rice. But, there are US grown Japanese Rice that are Medium Grain. Nishiki and Kokuho Rice are both Medium Grain Rice. Both are suitable for Sushi Rice. I use Lundberg Organic Sushi Rice . This is US grown Short Grain Rice you can use to make Sushi and other non-Sushi dishes. Though it is labeled as "Sushi Rice," it does not have Sushi Vinegar added, so technically, it means "Short Grain Rice Suitable for Making Sushi." Is Sushi Rice Sticky Rice? No. Sticky Rice is different. You want to purchase (plain) Short or Medium Grain Rice. There are two basic forms of Japanese rice that are common and considered as short grain cultivators of Japonica rice. The first type of Japanese short-grain rice is Uruchimai粳米, it is also known as ordinary tics or Japanese rice. Uruchimaiis used to prepare Sushi, rice balls and other Japanese dishes. It is also used in the preparation of rice vinegar and sake. Uruchimaiis the one, which is used in our online and in-person Sushi making class. The second kind is Japanese sweet rice or Mochigome 餅米. It is also known as glutinous rice. Japanese sweet rice is used to make traditional wagashi sweets or mochi rice cakes. Both Uruchimaiand Mochigome are not interchangeable. They are used differently for different purposes. Mochigome is much chewier, stickier and glutinous as compared to uruchimai. Mochigome, aka "Sticky Rice" is not used for Sushi. Why Is Japanese Rice So Sticky? Japanese rice is sticky because it has high moisture content and starch. It is characteristically defined as sticky and clingy. Starch is made up of amylose and amylopectin. When the amount of amylose is low and amylopectin high in rice, it becomes sticky in nature. This is a kind of rice that is grown in Japan. The unique stickiness of Japanese rice plays an important role in creating good Sushi. How Can I Substitute Japanese Rice? Because of its similar stickiness texture, Arborio rice-- the Italian short-grain rice can be used in place of Japanese rice. Korean short grain rice will also go well with Japanese dishes. The long-grain Jasmine or Basmati rice cannot be used in place of Japanese rice. These types of rice don't have enough stickiness because their amylopectin content is lower than that of Short Grain Rice. This is the reason why Jasmine and Basmati rice stay drier compared to Short Grain Rice. As such, the rice will not stick together when you make rice balls or Sushi. It would be best not to use Basmati rice and long grain Jasmine rice as a substitute in Japanese meals. 2. WHICH VINEGAR FOR SUSHI VINEGAR? TYPE OF VINEGAR TO LOOK FOR Rice Vinegar Seasoned Vinegar Sushi Vinegar (seasoned) (Optional) Red Rice Vinegar (Optional) Black Rice Vinegar BRAND Marukan Organic Rice Vinegar (My recommendation) Marukan Seasoned Vinegar Mitzkan Sushi Vinegar Sushi Chef, Vinegar Sushi, 10 Fl Oz What is Sushi Vinegar? Sushi Vinegar is Rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Regular Rice Vinegar is most widely used to make Sushi Vinegar. There are "Seasoned Vinegar" and "Sushi Vinegar" that have sugar and salt mixed in, which you are ready to mix with cooked Short/Medium Grain Rice. If you are not sure if you need to add sugar or salt, look at the label for ingredients. If it contains sugar and salt, then, it can be used as Sushi Vinegar. If you find Red or Black Rice vinegar, they are used mostly by high end boutique omakase only type Sushi restaurants. Red Vinegar was used when the current from of Sushi (Nigiri) was invented in Tokyo some 250 years ago. Some restaurants use Red Rice Vinegar to create the taste close to when Sushi was invented. Also, some of these Sushi restaurants add only salt, not sugar. This is also true to the tradition of the original Sushi. For homemade Sushi, especially if you are a beginner, regular Rice Vinegar with sugar and is a good start. Once you are comfortable with making "regular" Sushi Vinegar, you may want to experiment with Red Rice Vinegar or Sushi Vinegar without Sugar. TIPS The ratio Salt:Sugar:Rice Vinegar is 1:3:5 INGREDIENTS: Rice Vinegar 50g Sugar 30g (Cane sugar is what I use but any sugar is fine) Salt 10g (Sea Salt is what I use, but any salt would do) Optional Kombu (for extra Umami) TOOLS: Mixing Bowl Whisk or Spoon Optional Pot INSTRUCTIONS: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, use a whisk or spoon to stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. If sugar and salt do not dissolve, place the mixture over low heat and stir until they are dissolved. (Optional) Soak Kombu in Sushi Vinegar for at least one hour. 3. COOKING RICE IN A POT Now you get the rice and rice vinegar down, you are ready to start cooking rice. INGREDIENTS (4 – 5 cups cooked rice, for 6 - 8 inside out rolls): 400g (2 Japanese Cups) Short or Medium Grain White Japanese Rice Water (Filtered, Bottled, Mineral/Spring) TIPS: Weigh your ingredients Use a scale to weigh your ingredients. It is more accurate than measuring them by volume. (Visual comparison looks the same, but when you weigh them, they weigh different) The quality of water you use to wash and cook is just as important Roughly 75% of cooked rice is water. So, it makes sense to use the best tasting water possible to cook, but why am I recommending using the best tasting (filtered, spring, or mineral) water to rinse your rice? Soak your rice in cold water before you cook When a soaking time is short, white short grain rice will be hard. The longer the soaking time is, the softer(gooey) and tender the white short grain rice will become. The optimal temperature is 5℃/ 41°F. Lid is a Must! You need to keep the boiling temperature while cooking rice, which means you need to place the lid on a pot while rice is being cooked. It's a must. Another reason for the lid is to keep the internal temperature at. at 98℃/208.4°F. The ideal cooking time for Short Grain/Medium Grain Rice is 20 minutes. But if you keep the heat on for 20 minutes at 98℃, the bottom of the white short grain rice will get burnt (unless you have enough water in the pot.) Therefore, after the water starts to boil (100℃), keep the low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the water evaporates, and turn the heat off. To keep the internal temperature above 98℃, you must keep the lid on. This is the reason you should never remove the lid after you turn off the heat. Never put rice into boiling water The heat penetrates only the outer layer, but not the dry inner layer, leaving the inside of rice undercooked. To cook unsoaked rice thoroughly, you end up overcooking the outer layer, resulting in pasting, creamy texture. If your rice ever ended up being this way, it could be because you skipped soaking and put rice in boiling water. This is also the reason you should never cook unsoaked rice, especially white short grain rice. Always soak white short grain rice in water before cooking. The question you may be wondering is how long and what temperature? Once the water starts boiling, remove the lid, and stir throughout. I know I mentioned never to remove the lid, but that is after you turn the heat off. This is one step you need to perform while the heat is on. Some starch gets stuck in the bottom of the pot. Stirring will help even heat transfer of the pot. Make sure to avoid over stirring. You will break the granules resulting in pasting. After stirring, place the lid back on quickly to keep the temperature. When it starts to boil again, lower the heat, cook for ten minutes. During this time, rice is observing water. TOOLS: Scale Bowl Strainer Spatula/Large Spoon Pot with a lid INSTRUCTIONS: Soaking Rice Measure the rice and water using a scale. In a bowl, pour water. Place rice in a strainer and soak it in the bowl. Remove the strainer with rice from the water. Discard the water. Repeat the previous step. Pour water again, place the rice in a bowl, using the hands, gently rub for a few times. Drain. Repeat the previous step. Transfer the rice into a pot. Pour 440g water, store in the fridge for 30 min. Cooking Rice Place the pot with a lid. High heat until the water starts to boil. Remove the lid, stir gently, two to three times. Turn the heat to low, place the lid. Cook for five to minutes or until all the water evaporates in a pot. Turn the heat off. Keep the lid on, steam for 10 to 15 minutes so the total cooking time + steaming time is 20 minutes. (Cooking rice in a pot. I only cooked 200g of raw rice. It took 3 minutes 19 seconds to bring to boil. 7 minutes 33 seconds to turn off the heat. The remaining 12 minutes and 27 seconds was with lid on and heat off.) 4. MIXING SUSHI VINEGAR WITH COOKED RICE Now, you've cooked the rice successfully, you come to the final step in making sushi rice - Yay! Many (online) Sushi class attendees asked me if they should add Sushi vinegar to cook rice. The answer is you add Sushi vinegar after rice is cooked. INGREDIENTS: Cooked Short Grain White Rice (from 400g uncooked rice) 84 g Sushi Vinegar (42g of Sushi Vinegar for every 200g uncooked rice) TOOLS: Hangiri Sushi Rice Mixing Tub or Mixing Bowl Shamoji Rice Spatula or Large Mixing Spoon TIPS: Hangiri is a traditional Sushi Rice Mixing Wooden tub. I am sure most of you don’t have this at home, and it’s perfectly OK to use stainless/plastic mixing bowl to mix Cooked Rice with Sushi Vinegar at home. In fact when I am making small amount of Sushi Rice, I use a stainless bowl and plastic Shamoji to mix rice with Sushi Vinegar. INSTRUCTIONS: In a “Hangiri” (Sushi Rice mixing wooden bowl) or a stainless bowl, put cooked rice. Using a wooden rice spatula or mixing spoon, pour Sushi vinegar over it and distribute it evenly to the rice. Mix rice with Sushi vinegar in a slicing motion to keep each grain of rice intact. Avoid smashing, putting too much pressure and mixing too much. Let it cool down to the body temperature (roughly 37°C/98.6°F) and transfer to the container. Keep the lid or cover with plastic to keep the temperature. Buy Lundberg Organic Sushi Rice Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email  to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

When crafting the perfect sushi, the importance of rice cannot be overstated. At the heart of every exquisite sushi roll lies a bed of carefully chosen rice, the foundation of this beloved culinary art. Selecting the correct type of rice is crucial to ensure your sushi reaches its full potential, and we're here to guide you through this delightful journey. With many rice varieties available, picking the one that complements your sushi the best can be overwhelming. However, fear not! The secret lies in opting for white, short-grain rice—the finest choice for sushi. To delve deeper into this topic, we draw inspiration from the expertise of the "Seductions of Rice," a culinary treasure trove that defines Japanese rice as Japonica short-grain rice. These translucent and rounded grains often feature a small white spot at one end. To maintain its pristine quality, Japanese rice is frequently coated in starch or powdered talc, emphasizing the importance of rinsing them before use. Understanding Japanese Rice: Two common forms of Japanese rice include uruchimai 粳米, also known as ordinary rice, and Japanese sweet rice or mochigome 餅米, known for making mochi rice cakes and wagashi sweets. While uruchimai is the preferred choice for sushi, mochigome offers a chewier and stickier texture, catering to different culinary delights. The Allure of Sticky Japanese Rice: Japanese rice's renowned stickiness arises from its high moisture content and starch composition. This unique characteristic is crucial in crafting impeccable sushi, allowing the rice to hold together effortlessly in every delectable bite. Distinguishing Sushi Rice from Japanese Rice: "sushi rice" and "Japanese rice" are often interchangeably used, confusing sushi enthusiasts worldwide. In truth, they refer to distinct elements. Sushi rice, known as Sumeshi 酢飯, denotes vinegared rice prepared with Japanese short-grain rice, sugar, salt, and kombu (optional). On the other hand, Japanese short-grain rice serves as the foundation for various culinary delights, such as rice balls, donburi rice bowls, and Japanese curry. The Categories of Japanese Rice: Japanese rice further tantalizes taste buds with several varieties, including the esteemed Koshihikari, Akitakomachi, and Sasanishiki. Among them, Koshihikari is a preferred choice, although Calrose rice, a medium-grain Japonica developed in California, has also gained popularity. Choosing the Perfect Japanese Rice: When shopping for Japanese rice, consider freshness, sweetness, texture, stickiness, flavor, and place of production. Opt for shinai (新米), indicating new rice from the latest harvest, for the freshest and most flavorful experience. Look for reputable brands like Koshihikari, Toyama Koshihikari, and Akita Komachi, or explore options like Nishiki and Kokuho Rose, which offer affordability and widespread availability. Join Our Online Sushi-Making Class: As your curiosity about sushi-making grows, we invite you to embark on a delightful culinary adventure with our online sushi-making class. Discover the art of creating exquisite sushi rolls, mastering the delicate balance of flavors, and choosing the finest Japanese rice for your culinary masterpieces. Let us guide you as you uncover the joys of sushi-making and elevate your culinary skills to new heights. Whether you're a sushi enthusiast or an aspiring chef, our classes cater to all skill levels and offer a rich learning experience. Unleash your creativity, and confidently bring the art of sushi into your kitchen. Sushi's beauty lies in its exquisite taste and the joy of crafting each roll with love and precision. Embrace this culinary art form, and join our online sushi-making class for an unforgettable experience that will stay with you forever.

1. Ninety Percent of Making Sushi is Prep  When you see a sushi chef making sushi, you're witnessing the very last step of the process. It's just the tip of the iceberg. Everything leading up to that point involves extensive preparation: setting up the workstation, gathering tools and ingredients, cutting ingredients, washing and cooking rice, and preparing fish. Ensuring you have all your sauces and condiments ready and checking that your plates are clean and spotless is all part of the prep work.   Many projects in business and life share a similar principle. Maybe not quite like sushi, where 90% of the effort is prep, but a significant portion of the work involves preparation and laying a solid foundation. For example, when building a skyscraper, probably more than half of the time is spent on planning—securing land, funds, permits, and creating architectural blueprints.   So, the next time you make sushi at home or in our classes, think about all the prep that goes into it. Consider how much time and effort is involved, and apply that awareness to your projects in life.   2. Simplifying the Hard-to-Swallow Concepts is a Skill  Sushi techniques are simple in appearance. Making a roll looks easy at first glance. After a few attempts, anyone can make sushi. However, making good or great sushi is easier said than done.   Making sushi requires precision. You need to know how to cut ingredients properly. You need to use precise amounts of fish, vegetables, and rice to make a roll. Spreading sushi rice on the seaweed requires precise hand coordination. Rolling the seaweed with sushi rice and cutting the roll requires precise knife movements and force.   These techniques and concepts are hard to grasp, especially for first-timers, because they can only be learned through experience. I can't tell you exactly how much force to apply with your knife when cutting a California Roll. How do I teach this? How can I explain it in a way that is easier to understand?   I learned to use metaphors. For example, "When cutting a roll, use your knife like sawing wood, back and forth with gentle force down." "When rolling a sushi roll, roll it like a sleeping bag or a yoga mat." "Peel the cucumber like that apple-peeling machine you saw on the late-night infomercial."   Creating examples that people are familiar with helps explain foreign concepts. I constantly search for these metaphors and write them down in my digital notes for easy reference.   3. Time Management is a Skill   When I wrote the article, "90% of Our Success is Showing Up 100% of the Time," I was talking about time management.   I suppose I inherited some of this skill from my father, who was always diligently on time. (He worked for the same company his entire life!)   Being on time is a skill we can all practice. While not everyone will be great at it, I believe anyone can practice and improve it.   The first step is always to allocate an extra 10-25% of time. It's similar to ordering extra ingredients for sushi classes and catering. We always order and bring more than what's needed. Running out of ingredients and apologizing to the client is the last thing I want to do. I find it unprofessional. Being late is another thing I avoid.   I always add 10-25% extra time to my plans. For example, if I have a 10 am meeting and estimate it will take me 15 minutes to get ready, I start getting ready at 9:30 am instead of 9:45 am. This gives me a 15-minute cushion to relax and double-check if I've forgotten anything. I treat the event start time as the time to "start," not the time to be "ready." If 10 am is the start time, I aim to be ready 10-15 minutes before.   When scheduling a meeting or event, I recommend having a "get ready" time and a "start" time in your plan.   4. Repeat Instructions at Least Three Times   Our brain is designed to understand concepts we already know (I read this somewhere). Many of our sushi class participants are first-timers, hearing my instructions for the first time. During the class, many things are happening: you might be busy making sushi and talking to your partner or other participants. You might hear my instructions for the first time, or you might miss them.   This concept was obvious but difficult for me to get used to initially. I felt almost stupid repeating the same instructions twice or three times. I thought, "I said it once, everyone should get it, right?" Nope. I found out not everyone heard or understood what I said. "Can you show me how to spread the sushi rice again?" "Where did you say we should clear our cutting board?" Many attendees asked me questions I had already explained.   For this reason, I made a habit of explaining instructions at least three times. I stopped assuming everyone would get it if I said it once. No. Everyone will not get it if I say it once. This is why I repeat the same thing twice or three times when teaching sushi classes and giving instructions to our staff.   5. We Mirror Others, Whether We Like It or Not  "Steal with your eyes" is a famous saying in Japan. Among sushi chefs who went through traditional rigorous apprenticeship training, I believe this is unanimously agreed upon—watch and learn. All you need to know is right in front of you.   Despite the recent trend of sushi chefs gaining skills by watching YouTube videos and opening sushi restaurants in Tokyo, and Sushi Onodera’s new approach of training sushi chefs to serve sushi at lower prices, it turns out the traditional watch-and-learn approach is based on science: Mirroring.   The term "mirroring" is a simple concept. Humans are designed to mimic what we see.   “Copying the words, gestures, or facial expressions of another person" - Health News   Reciprocal: It is a two-way street, where both individuals engage in mirroring to foster mutual understanding and trust. Respect for boundaries: Healthy mirroring respects the personal boundaries of others and aims to create a safe and comfortable environment for both parties. It helps to create a bond. This is crucial in apprenticeship because you are required to learn the same techniques from your master. In sushi, by doing so, you replicate all the steps to achieve the same result—in this case, the taste.   This puts me in an interesting position because we mirror others both consciously and unconsciously. As a sushi class teacher, my participants are likely to remember and copy what I do in class. So, I must be careful about what I say and do. In theory, everything I say and do during the class will be embedded in the participants' unconscious minds forever!   6. Better to Have More Than Being Exact   During the past 11 years, we have rarely run out of ingredients during classes and catering (OK, there were a few times, but probably only about 0.1% of all events).   This means that 99.9% of the time, we ended up with extra ingredients: rice, fish, and vegetables. Some of the unused ingredients can be used for other events. Some ingredients, like sushi rice, cannot be reused and are composted. Every time this happens, one of the sushi chefs feels we shouldn’t have cooked so much rice. He feels that it’s a waste. I understand where he’s coming from. Culturally, rice is valued in Asian countries. My previous generations experienced food shortages during the war. For them, rice is precious. They believe in not wasting a single grain of rice when washing. Never wasting food is a belief they grew up with.   My generation and the generation after grew up in a world where there’s no lack of food. So, our beliefs are different.   True, we should never simply waste food and forget how valuable it is. At the same time, when prepping for sushi classes and catering, it’s important to always have more than we need instead of trying to have the exact amount.   I’ve seen sushi chefs say "great" when we use all the rice cooked for the class. But I feel that we actually didn’t cook enough.   During events, many things can happen—some class participants may want to make more sushi than planned, more guests may show up, or someone could knock the rice warmer to the floor, making it unusable.   We have backup raw rice in case the rice doesn’t cook right. It happens occasionally when the rice cooker fails to cook properly. No rice means no sushi class or catering. We can’t let that happen.   This is why it’s better to have more because if there isn’t enough, there’s not much we can do, especially during an event.   7. Sushi Looks Deceptively Easy to Make  If anyone says "sushi is easy to make," I would argue that they are wrong.   True, if you attend our sushi class, you will make a nice-looking rainbow roll. The question is, is there a difference between the sushi made by a beginner and someone with, say, thirty years of experience?   You can watch a YouTube video, learn, and make a sushi roll. You might even say it tastes good. But does it taste the same as one made by a professional?   The point I'd like to make here is this: To make okay sushi, sure, you might succeed. But to make it better than good is extremely difficult.   Take sushi rice, for example.   "How do you cook sushi rice?"   I would say this question is asked at almost every sushi class we’ve taught in the past eleven years. What's in the sushi rice? What kind of rice do you use? What do you add? What is in the sushi vinegar, and do you add it before or after you cook the rice?   As you see, there are a lot of questions. I jokingly say I could have an entire class about cooking rice or sushi rice. I've written several articles about sushi rice and cooking rice, and they are not short—in fact, I think I could write a whole book on rice.   Making sushi rice , spreading rice on nori, and slicing fish for sashimi—compared to other types of cooking, all these things seem simple and easy. We tend to think simple equals easy. Humans often underestimate the skills needed. Making sushi rice is a good example of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email  to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

As of this writing (July 2024), Salmon is the No.1 sushi neta (ingredient) in Japan based on the survey. In the US, salmon also holds the No.1 spot for sushi. While I have nothing against salmon, at Breakthrough Sushi, we use steelhead instead of salmon. The reason is very simple: we feel the steelhead we use tastes better than the most salmon we can get from our fish supplier. Some of our clients are turned off by the sound of “steelhead trout.” The word trout reminds them of “rainbow trout,” which is a fresh water fish. We say over and over that it is not the trout as they know, and our steelhead looks and tastes like salmon. In fact, if we didn’t tell them that it is steelhead, it’s likely that they will never notice. Sometimes, we cannot tell the difference between steelhead trout and salmon. Steelhead trout is anadromous, which means it spends adulthood in the ocean, then comes back to the river to spawn. Unlike salmon, steelhead can spawn multiple times. The trout that remains in the river becomes and is called Rainbow trout because of the color. Steelhead trout has silvery skin and bigger than Rainbow trout. One of the big differences between the steelhead we use and salmon is the taste: our steelhead is much sweeter and flavorful than salmon (we think.) It also tastes less oily than the most farm raised salmon. There is one simple technique we use to the steelhead: curing with sugar and salt. The traditional Japanese curing technique called “shime” usually employs only salt. Salt and sugar curing is the recipe use to make gravlax salmon, which is what we use. It is a very simple recipe, however, it requires some practice. The most difficult part is to determine when to stop curing. This only comes from experience as far as I know. How to tell when the curing is done? I look for the amount of water (being drained), the firmness and the color of the steelhead. In the recipe, I wrote down the general time needed to cure – about 30 minutes for sugar, 15-20 minutes for salt. You need to adjust it based on the steelhead you use, also how big or small your steelhead is. Curing time should be shorter if the steelhead piece is smaller than my piece (pictured is a ¼ piece of fish) and vice versa. Steelhead curing for sushi recipe The flesh of steelhead is very soft and easily broken. When handling, use both hands to pick up. Handle with extreme care. Never drop it on the cutting board or any surface even in a slightest way. INGREDIENTS: Loch Etive Steelhead fillet, skinless Cane sugar Sea salt   TOOLS: Sheet pan Cutting board Knife Paper towels INSTRUCTIONS: Remove the white hard skin part, moving the knife up and down. Cut steelhead into three pieces. In a sheet pan, pour some cane sugar. Place the steelhead piece and coat it with sugar. Cure in sugar for approximately 30 minutes. When the water starts to emerge from the steelhead, and the color turns darker orange, rise the fillet in water. Tap dry with paper towel. In a sheet pan, pour some sea salt. Place the steelhead piece and coat it with salt. Cure in salt for approximately 15-20 minutes. When the small amount of water starts to emerge from the steelhead (approximately 15 minutes), rise the fillet in water. Tap dry with paper towel. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email  to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

Netflix is a joke. You’ve probably heard of this before. When I heard this, I said, “So is sushi class.”  I use a lot of jokes during my sushi classes.  Some of the yelp and Google reviews say, “Kaz is funny and hilarious.” Am I really that funny, and how did my sushi classes become a “joke”? "It's the same class for the past ten years. Same jokes." This is one of my new opening lines for the sushi class. Over the decade of teaching the same class, I have created many punchlines that work. Some class attendees think “Kaz is funny” and “hilarious.” All of the Breakthrough Sushi staff know I am neither funny nor hilarious when I am not teaching sushi class. I consider the “Kaz is funny” persona as my sushi class instructor's act. The goal here is not to be funny or make people laugh. The main goal is to get through to my audience. Most of my sushi class participants are first time sushi rollers. I discuss some new concepts that may be difficult for some to understand. I hate talking to large groups of people when I sense they do not understand what I am talking about. I see that reaction as a failure as a teacher.  I learned humor can help the audience relax, make a connection with a speaker, make it easier to get across a point, and keep them engaged. While working at the sushi bar, I learned that entertaining the customers is half of my job. So, why not use humor to entertain the class participants and get the point across at the same time? That was my thinking, which led me to practice and improve my materials over a decade. I studied many standup comedy videos on Youtube. Read some books. Listened to numerous podcasts. Then, I practiced my routine repeatedly like many stand-up comedians do. I came to understand what stand up comedians go through. I never claim to fully understand what they go through because I am more like a part time amateur comedian. After a decade of practice, I have more appreciation for their effort, devotion and art.  I now understand (partially) that it’s about when you say it, how you say it, and who you say it to. It’s never about being funny or trying to make people laugh because when you do, boy, does that make you feel a slap on your face. Trying to be funny almost never works. It’s a recipe for disaster. Making jokes is similar to making sushi: Simple and not easy to do. They are both harder to do it better than good.  Some jokes work. Many don’t. I flopped many times. Then, you learn from those embarrassing mistakes and make them better. The Japanese proverb says, “When you fall seven times, you get up eight times.” Sushi is the same. Some work, some don’t. You learn, make an improvement and move on.  I invited you to come and hear my jokes in one of our scheduled public classes or a private event at your office or at home. I will be there to share some of my jokes with you. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email  to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

1. Microwave Your Takeout Sushi If you ever buy sushi from a supermarket and find that the rice is too hard or the flavor is lacking, try this simple trick. Place the entire container in the microwave and heat it for about 30 seconds. This will soften and warm the sushi rice, enhancing the flavor of the fish without cooking it. However, be cautious and ensure that your container is microwave-safe.   2. Opt for Lemon and Salt Over Soy Sauce Soy sauce is wonderful for enhancing sushi, especially with umami-rich fish like tuna, thanks to its high glutamic acid content. However, for more delicately flavored fish such as snapper and halibut, soy sauce can overpower their subtle tastes and aroma. Instead, try using lemon juice and sea salt. This pairing works exceptionally well with salmon, scallops (my personal favorite!), white fish, Dungeness crab, and Uni (sea urchin), as it accentuates their natural flavors without overwhelming them. If you find yourself missing the depth of soy sauce, just add a tiny dab to enhance the aroma without compromising the dish's integrity. 3. Eat Sushi with Your Fingers Eating sushi with your fingers is a practice well understood by Japanese people and sushi chefs alike, although it might not be as obvious to everyone. It’s worth reiterating sushi is traditionally a finger food. Originating from street food stand in Tokyo about 250 years ago—much like hot dogs—sushi was initially designed to be eaten with your hands. It's only in more recent times that using chopsticks became common, possibly because it appears more sophisticated and elegant (my opinion.) However, I consider eating sushi with your fingers at a sushi bar as a cool, authentic way to enjoy it. So next time, feel free to eat your sushi the traditional way—using your fingers. 4. Host Your Next Party with Hand Rolls There's a wide variety of sushi types, and while many Americans are familiar with inside-out rolls and nigiri, there's a less commonly known but trendy option catching on: the hand roll, aka, Temaki. Thanks to establishments like Kazunori   and Brothers  in LA, and Hand Roll  Project in San Francisco, hand rolls are proving to be an easy and delicious sushi form that you can make at home. Here’s how you can do it:   Make sushi rice : The base of any good sushi starts here. Select your fillings: Gather some vegetables, fish, and meats. These don’t necessarily need to be sushi-grade; a popular filling in Japan is canned tuna or Tuna Mayo, and even corn mayo. Consider other proteins: Chicken teriyaki also makes a fantastic filling for hand rolls. Arrange everything family-style: Lay out all your ingredients so everyone can create their own custom hand rolls. Incorporate diverse ingredients: Use tempura shrimp  from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods , or consider fried fish from the frozen food section as great alternatives to raw fish. Experiment with smoked salmon: It pairs wonderfully in a hand roll (try adding some cream cheese for extra richness). Add condiments and sauces: Enhance your hand rolls with sauces like Kewpie mayo and sriracha for that authentic flavor kick. If you like to order sushi grade fish, check out our guide for ordering fish online.   5. Proper Storage: Keep Your Fish on Ice Whether you're handling sushi-grade or regular fish, it's crucial to keep it on ice within your refrigerator. Even better, submerge it in ice water because heat transfers approximately 20 times faster in water than in air, helping to keep the fish at an optimal cool temperature. First, wrap your fish in plastic and place it in a tightly sealed Ziploc bag. A vacuum sealer like Food Saver  is ideal if available, as it further enhances preservation. Position the sealed fish on an ice pack, or if none is available, in a container of ice water. This setup helps maintain the fish at an optimal temperature range of 1-2˚C (34-36˚F), where bacterial growth is minimized and the decomposition of the fish's flesh is significantly slowed. By doing this, your fish could potentially last twice as long compared to being stored at the typical refrigerator temperature of 4-5˚C (39-41˚F). Should your fish begin to emit a fishy odor or its exterior starts to discolor—a common issue with tuna—rinse it under water and gently pat dry with a paper towel. This method often removes surface bacteria responsible for odors. If the smell persists, carefully slice away the outer layer of the fish with a sharp knife and discard it. This will expose the fresher, typically sterile inner flesh, which often appears much fresher. 6. Experience the Authenticity of Fresh Wasabi If you've never tried fresh wasabi, your experience with wasabi is incomplete. In many sushi restaurants in the US, the wasabi offered is typically a powdered version that isn't genuine wasabi. Most powdered variants are a mix of horseradish, yellow mustard, and food coloring, and even those that contain real wasabi elements fail to deliver the full experience. What does real wasabi taste like? Initially, it introduces a mild tingling sensation, akin to a gentle heat, followed by an enveloping aroma that fills your mouth and nose, leaving a subtly sweet aftertaste that fades pleasantly. The experience of authentic wasabi is uniquely gratifying and far superior to its common substitutes.   You can find fresh wasabi at several Japanese supermarkets throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley and Nijiya Market. Additionally, fresh wasabi is available online from: Half Moon Bay Wasabi Company , California Pacific Coast Wasabi , British Columbia, Canada Oregon Coast Wasabi , Oregon Real Wasabi,  North Carolina   For the best experience, use a wasabi grater   made from shark skin. This tool is specifically designed to maximize the release of wasabi's aromatic properties, enhancing your culinary experience with its authentic flavor and aroma. 7. Opt for Slightly Warm Sushi Rice Sushi rice is generally considered to taste best when it is close to body temperature. However, serving it slightly warm can enhance the experience even further. Warm sushi rice not only releases the subtle aroma of sushi vinegar but also helps to amplify the flavors of accompanying ingredients like fish. This method of serving sushi rice slightly warm was popularized by Sushi Nozawa in Los Angeles, and has since become a favored technique among sushi connoisseurs for its ability to elevate the overall flavor profile of sushi dishes. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email  to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

COOKING TIME Total: 40 - 50 minutes Sushi Rice: 30 - 40 minutes Rolling: 5 minutes You may know this already and I will mention this again and again. Sushi is not just raw fish. There are a lot of vegetarian sushi in Japan. This Vegetarian roll is an adaptation of the standard fish rainbow roll. Mango, surprisingly goes well with some oily fish like Hamachi and salmon. Strawberry is a regular sushi cast in Brazil. There is nothing wrong with using fruits and vegetables to make tasty sushi. INGERDIENTS: Sushi Rice (recipe here) Nori/Seaweed 2-3 pcs green beans or asparagus, baked or steamed ½ Avocado, sliced 1-2cm thick Mango, thinly slices 3-5, Portobella mushroom, thinly sliced Sesame Seeds INSTRUCTIONS: Make Sushi Rice (follow this recipe). Wipe the cutting board with a wet towel to moisten. Place half sheet nori horizontally, rough side facing up. Wet your hands. Grab sushi rice, tennis ball size, approximately 200g. Place the sushi rice on the top left corner, shaping it like a potato. Using the bottom part of your left palm, apply pressure, spread the sushi rice horizontally. With your right hand, making a “U” shape, guide the sushi rice so that it covers the top half to 2/3 of the Nori. Rhythmically, turn your left hand three times to cover the top portion of the Nori with rice. Clean your hands with a wet towel, dip your fingers in the water. Using fingertips, apply the pressure, spread the rice to the bottom, from the left, center, and right. Spread the sushi rice all the way to the top and corners to cover the entire sheet of Nori as even as possible. Flip the Nori with Sushi Rice so the Nori is facing up. Place avocado, cucumber and green beans. Pick up the bottom edge of the Nori, roll like a Yoga mat. The bottom edge should land below the top edge of Nori. Seal, then roll another 90 degrees forward. Place a plastic wrap on the roll, then Makisu rolling mat. Remove the plastic. Place mushroom, avocado, and mango alternating until all the top part of the roll is covered. Place plastic wrap or parchment paper over the vegetables on the roll; using Makisu, gently squeeze the whole roll so that the ingredients on the top sticks to the roll. Remove the Makisu, keeping the plastic, cut into 8 pieces, and serve. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

Since the launch of Breakthrough Sushi in 2012, we have proudly hosted over 1,000 events. Can you guess how many events we've missed? Zero. I am proud to share that we have maintained a 100% attendance record at all our scheduled events. There have been occasions when we nearly had to cancel, but we've always found a way to make it work. Here’s one such story. No one is at the venue to host our sushi class! It was a typical Monday morning at a quartz tile kitchen showroom, just five minutes before our scheduled setup time. The lights inside were off, which was unusual. My assistant chef and I arrived on time, but the showroom staff was nowhere to be seen. After a fifteen-minute wait with no signs of life, I contacted the showroom manager via email, suddenly realizing I didn't have their mobile number. As another ten minutes ticked by with the showroom still dark, it dawned on me—it was a bank holiday, and the showroom was closed. With the clients expected in just two hours and no venue open to host them, a quick decision was needed. Instead of canceling, I thought quickly on my feet. Could there be another option? Suddenly, I thought of the café on Third Street. It was likely closed due to the holiday, but worth a try. I immediately texted the café owner and got a swift response: "The café is available!" Relief washed over me as I informed my assistant, "We have a venue!" It was just a ten-minute drive away. We hurried to the café, prepped sushi rice, sliced fish and vegetables, and set up the tables with knives and cutting boards. Everything was ready, including the sake mojitos. I quickly informed the client about the change in venue and apologized for any inconvenience. They arrived on time, oblivious to the frantic preparations that had just occurred. They never needed to know. The class went smoothly, filled with smiles as participants crafted their rainbow rolls and savored their salmon sashimi. This experience solidified a belief: 90% of success in life comes from just showing up. For Breakthrough Sushi, showing up 100% of the time has been our formula for success. Looking ahead, we commit to maintaining this standard. For every event you plan with us, Breakthrough Sushi will be there, ready to deliver an unforgettable experience. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

COOKING TIME Total: 35 - 40 minutes Sushi Rice: 30 - 40 minutes Prep: 10 minutes Shrimp is the most consumed seafood in America. In 2021, Americans consumed 5.9 pounds of shrimp per person, 1.75 times more than Salmon. While cooked shrimp nigiri may not look as “sexy” as raw fish like tuna or salmon, when done right, shrimp nigiri is a fantastic piece. For the catering of Breakthrough Sushi, I use 16/20 size because it is larger than most of other sushi shrimp I’ve seen. I think (without officially confirming) 21/26 is probably more common size of shrimp used for sushi. Typically served cold, if you can, I would recommend serving warm – make nigiri right after you boil the shrimp. If you have seen Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Jiro Ono serves his shrimp in this way: Shrimp is slightly warm, and still has “freshly” cooked aroma and taste. If you try it, you will find out it’s almost a different nigiri. You can also cook spot prawns, aka Amaegi for nigiri instead of raw. Though, this is more expensive, it sure does taste better than the regular white shrimp. Ingredients (for one Nigiri) 30g (1 oz.) Sushi rice Shrimp, 16/20 (if unavailable, 21/26), frozen or fresh Wasabi Salt Ice TOOLS Cutting board Knife Pot Bamboo stick Bowl Paper towel INSTRUCTIONS: Prep shrimp Pierce through the bamboo stick on the back side of the shrimp, between the shell and the flesh. Make sure the bamboo is pierced all the way to the tail. In the pot, bring water to boil, add some salt and place the bamboo pierced shrimp into the boiling water. When the color of the shrimp turns from gray to orange, or the shrimp starts to flow to the surface, remove it from the water. Place the shrimp in ice water to cool down quickly. Remove the bamboo stick. Deshell the shrimp. With a knife, cut half way, then turn the shrimp back side facing the cutting board, and then, press the knife down gently to butterfly the shrimp. Rise off the veins in salt water. Tap dry with paper towel. Place the fish on the palm of the left hand, and hold the top part with thumb. Using your left index finger, grab small portion of wasabi. Place the wasabi on the center of the fish. Grab about 15g of sushi rice, squeeze lightly in your left hand to form a small ball. Place the rice in the middle of the fish over the wasabi. Press your left thumb on the rice, to create a void. With your left index finger and thumb, press the top and bottom part of sushi rice, then, press the left and right side of the rice. At this stage, the rice should form rectangular shape. Rotate your left hand slightly and with your left finger, pick up the fish and turn so the fish is now facing up. Place your left thumb over the fish, as you squeeze the sides of the fish with left index finger and thumb. Squeeze the fish and rice with left fingers, placing the left index finger over the fish to adjust the final shape. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

Atop a downtown San Francisco penthouse, with a stunning custom marble bar, our client is hosting a private party for 150 - 200 guests. Champagne bottles gleam under the lights, and exquisite food and drinks grace each floor. It's a lavish affair, complete with top-tier entertainment like Lenny Kravitz and Jerry Seinfeld slated for later in the evening. However, I notice that nearly all our sushi platters remain untouched, even 30 minutes into the party. A quick visit to the first floor reveals most guests congregating there, cocktail in hand. It's clear that the allure of the top floor is lost on them. The situation worsens when I'm informed that the elevator has malfunctioned, effectively stranding our sushi on the penthouse level. Faced with the likelihood of our sushi going uneaten, a server queries my thoughts on the unfolding scenario. My response is one of acceptance, "I've learned to let go. I've fulfilled my end—delivered as promised. How the sushi is received is out of my hands, though I believe in its excellence. Letting go of expectations transforms outcomes into gifts." Our plans are abruptly altered when the event manager announces a move to the first floor. Springing into action, I direct our staff, "Let's get everything—platters, chopsticks, soy sauce, ginger, wasabi—downstairs. The sushi bar too." Swiftly, we reassemble our setup on the first floor, and, surrounded by guests, our sushi finds new favor. As we approach the end of our service, the crowd leaves the room for the first entertainment of the evening, Jerry Seinfeld. Shortly after, we're left with about 30% of our sushi. "Let's offer it to the venue staff," I suggest. The sight of tuna, steelhead, amberjack, and snapper nigiri, along with baked Black Cod Miso, is met with eager anticipation. Soon, every piece is claimed. The staff's enthusiastic thanks reaffirm the unforeseen joys of our profession. "This is the gift I spoke of," I remind my server. Their appreciation assures me of our sushi's quality, echoing the likely sentiments of many guests. The following day, the event manager's email offers thanks for the sushi shared with their staff and compliments on our inspiring weekly newsletter. Indeed, each event harbors potential for unique surprises, affirming that every occasion we cater offers distinct gifts, waiting to be discovered by attendees. Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.

COOKING TIME Total: 35 - 40 minutes Sushi Rice: 30 - 40 minutes Making gunkan: 3 minutes Though sometimes labeled as roe, it is reproductive organs, the gonads of uni that we eat. A single sea urchin typically contains five gonads, which are the main edible parts. What we are eating as sea urchins are actually these testes and ovaries. About 1-2 months before spawning, sea urchins store a lot of nutrients in their gonads. Therefore, during this period, the sea urchins' gonads are large, and the flavor is rich and creamy. This rich taste is why sea urchins are considered most delicious just before spawning. The savory taste of uni comes from the kombu kelp it eats. Therefore, most prized uni is harvested from where there are plenty of great tasting kombu and kelp. They are Hokkaido in Japan, Santa Barara and Fort Bragg in California, and Maine. Because Uni is an omnivore, there have been experiments in Japan to give uni different feed other than kombu. There are so called cabbage uni, and broccoli uni, that tastes as good as the ones eating kombu. Freshness is key, as uni tends to transform from a firm texture to a looser, liquid-like state within five days of harvest. Depending on the type of uni, it has yellow or orange color. When fresh, good uni should taste sweet and buttery. To keep the texture firm, some of the uni is treated with Potassium alum, which can leave bitter aftertaste as uni becomes older. While liquid uni retains a similar taste to its fresher counterpart, its presentation isn't ideal for a restaurant setting. However, gunkan sushi provides an elegant solution, with the nori band gracefully holding both the firm and softer states of uni. Remember, the looser the uni, the quicker you should consume it to enjoy the best experience and to prevent the nori from becoming soggy. Buy the wasabi grater INGREDIENTS: Sushi Rice (recipe here) 30-50g Uni 1 Nori seaweed, half sheet INSTRUCTIONS: Make gunkan nori. Cut the right side of the nori with a knife, about 1.5cm or 1 1/4 inch width, making two strips. Turn the nori vertically, cut three equal pieces of gunakan nori. Take about 30-40g of sushi rice and, using your fingers and palm, shape it into a square resembling the base of a regular nigiri. Lightly smear wasabi on top of the rice for a subtle kick. Encase this rice base with a strip of nori, forming the classic gunkan shape. Gently place the uni atop the rice using a spoon. Adjust the shape as necessary Breakthrough Sushi offers sushi classes and sushi catering in the San Francisco Bay Area using sustainable seafood. If you like to inquire about your next corporate or private event, please send us an email to request a quote. If you like to sign up for our scheduled public classes in San Francisco and San Jose (Santa Clara), please see the schedule here.