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How and When Did Tuna Become Such an Iconic Sushi Fish Neta(Ingredients)? For Edo-Mae style sushi, "Maguro," Tuna is the king of sushi Neta (ingredients). When I say "King," I mean it from sushi chef's perspective. I didn't know this until I became a sushi chef. A sushi bar without Maguro is like a steakhouse without steak. Tuna nigiri is the highlight of the omakase course - the main character, the hero of the movie. No Tuna, no omakase. No hero, no story. It was difficult for me to understand this concept at the beginning. "Can't you just run a sushi bar without Tuna? Why do you have to have it?" I kept wondering. I later learned that the answer lies in the history of how the Japanese came to love Tuna, especially Toro, the fatty Tuna. Japanese did not always eat Raw Tuna, let alone cooked Tuna These are some reasons why large Tuna consumption did not start until the mid-Edo period, 1603–1868. Some historians say there is evidence indicating the Japanese were catching Tuna around 10000–300 BC. But catching such large fish presented many risks. It's heavy. Tuna can weigh as much as 180kg/400lbs. You need a bigger boat. You need more crew. You travel far to the outer ocean. Why risk your life when you can catch smaller fish with less effort? Even if you successfully catch Tuna, lack of refrigeration made Tuna undesirable. What's the point of catching a big fish if you cannot eat? The name did not help Tuna's consumption either. Japanese used to call Tuna Shibi, which had the same pronunciation as Day of the Dead. Because of this, most people considered it unlucky to eat Tuna. Japanese preferred Tai/Sea Bream over Tuna because the word "Tai" rhymed with "celebration." Tai was smaller fish — a lot smaller, around 50～70cm (20–28 inches) in length. Easier to catch than Tuna. New Era for Tuna and Toro: Edo Period, Tokyo Around 1830, when Edo/Tokyo had a large catch of Tuna, which lowered its price. Since the Tuna became so cheap, some sushi restaurants decided to try using Tuna, which caught its popularity. In the beginning, the way they served Tuna was called "Zuke" — a soy-marinated Tuna nigiri. By marinating in soy sauce, Tuna lasted longer without refrigeration. It also brought a different flavor to Tuna. Until then, Tuna was either grilled or cooked and was considered not tasty. Change in Japanese Diet – more fatty food Even though Tuna became popular as Sushi neta, the belly was discarded. Marinating Tuna belly in soy sauce didn't change its taste due to high fat content. Toro, Tuna belly started to get popular around 1930 – 1960. It is unclear exactly why it became so popular. There are a few theories. One: The change of the modern Japanese diet — preferring more "fat" in their food. Two: Advancement of refrigeration technique allowed more extended storage of Tuna, especially toro. The popularity of Toro started to catch on. The prices began to go higher Many sushi eaters began to see it as more premium sushi neta. Japanese started to recognize Toro as the "king" of sushi neta. Sushi has become one of the leading Japanese cuisine export to the US, Europe and Asia, where it was not available until recent years. Sushi eaters outside of Japan followed Japanese suits: Toro as the premium sushi fish. Fishermen outside of Japan started to see more value in Tuna belly, which they used to throw away just like the Japanese fishermen some 250 years ago. As the popularity of Sushi grew around the world, so did Toro. Tuna auction, media coverage, and the price hike If you like Sushi, you probably heard about Tokyo Fish Market and their annual Tuna auction. Just as Edo people used to pay no attention to Maguro, no news media reported this event until recently. Most Japanese didn't even know it existed. Things started to change in 2001, when the Tuna from Oma was priced at JPN ¥20 million (Approx. US$ 170,000). Japanese News media started to report this high Tuna price, mentioning the name "Oma" – a small town in Aomori most Japanese never heard of before. Oma Tuna fishermen used longline over the troll and the gillnet fishing method. The longline caused less damage to the Tuna, but it is a more dangerous fishing method. Media coverage on the Oma Tuna Fishermen increased. In 2007 a TV drama "Tuna" featuring a famous actor, Tetsuya Wataru was produced with US$ 10 million, funded by Oma fishery organization and the city of Oma. Thanks to the TV show, Tuna from Oma became a brand, like Kobe Beef, which contributed to the higher price for Tuna and Toro. The rivalry between Itamae Zushi and Sushi Zanmai Another thing contributing to the price hike was the battle between two sushi restaurant owners; Ricki Chen of Itamae Zushi and Kiyoshi Kimura from Sushi Zanmai. In 2008, Ricki Chen became the first non-Japanese to win the bid for the new year's Tuna auction at the price of JPN ¥6.7 million (about US$600,000). The Tuna was served at Chen's restaurant in Hong Kong. This caught the media's attention. Chen kept winning the bid four years in a row over Kiyoshi Kimura of Sushi Zanmai. The battle between Chen and Kimura contributed to the hike of the Tuna price every year. There was a rumor that someday, the Tuna price will go over one million dollars. In 2013, Kimura made the international news headline for winning the Tuna auction for US$1.3 million. He is known as "Tuna King" for winning seven consecutive bids between 2012 – 2017. Future of Tuna Bluefin Tuna is referred to as the "Diamond of the sea" among Japanese fishermen and distributors. Due to the popularity of Sushi around the globe, bluefin is overfished. It is listed as endangered species by such organizations as WWF. There are, however, some sustainable Bluefin Tuna. One of the notable one is by Kindai University in Japan, a fully farm-raised Bluefin Tuna: Kindai Maguro. Sign up for our weekly online sushi making class, or new online sushi making course. Breakthrough Sushi also offers in-person sushi classes in San Francisco Bay Area as team building activities and private events. #OnlineSushiMakingClass #SushiClass #SushiMakingClass #CookingClass #TeamBuildingActivities

(Team Building Sushi Class in San Francisco) One of the cuisines that millions upon millions of people enjoy originates from the Land of the Rising Sun. When we talk about Japanese cuisines there is no way we can skip sushi - the seemingly global representative of the lauded Asian country. Mental Floss noted that the the US loves sushi so much that there are over 4000 sushi restaurants scattered around the country, grossing over two billion dollars every year. This undying fervor for this delightful dish didn’t just manifest through the sheer number of sushi restaurants. It can also be seen in the numerous articles that speak of the different ways Americans can recreate their most-loved Japanese dish. Learning how to make sushi is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn about Japanese culture and start eating healthier. With sushi-making classes available to the public, you might be considering taking a class. Breakthrough Sushi has been teaching sushi making classes in San Francisco since 2012, now offering online sushi making classes. Before attending your sushi making class or making it at home, here’s our list of some common mistakes you may encounter when making sushi. Thinking that fish is the only ingredient for sushi Contrary to popular belief, sushi is not limited to just fish as main toppings. There are a lot of different sushi toppings out there that will still allow you to stay true to the traditional makeup of sushi. According to the person who runs the sushi making operations for the Blue Ribbon restaurants Toshi Ueki, the traditional toppings of sushi includes pickled eggplant, pickled mustard greens, umeboshi, pickled radish, sautéed mixed mushroom, poached asparagus and avocado, among others. Overcooking the rice Since rice isn’t a staple in most American households, a lot of people find it hard to cook rice perfectly. While some undercook it and end up with raw and hard grains, most people overcook it and end up with soggy, super mushy, and wet rice that’s just not good for rolling. Fortunately, this problem can be easily solved by simply getting a trusty rice cooker that’s a fixture in most Asian homes. The best Aroma rice cookers of 2020 are built with timers that will ensure fool-proof sushi rice every time. All you will have to do is wait for the rice to cool down. Overstuffing your rolls To some, sushi is not sushi if it’s not rolled into perfect little cylinders that will surely make your mouth water when they are finally cut. We understand - you want your sushi to be packed with all those delicious ingredients, but you can't roll them up if you add too many fillings or use too much rice. If you do this, you will either end up with sushi rolls that split open or are so overstuffed some flavors overpower others. Aside from adding just a little bit of everything, another way you can achieve a well-rolled sushi is by getting the right tools. Bustle’s list of the best sushi rollers mentioned that it would be ideal for many to go for bamboo mats that are odor/mold resistant, eco-friendly and can last you a good number of years. Sticking to just rolled sushi When people think of making their own sushi, the first thing that comes to mind is rolls -- something that would take any novice a great deal of time and effort to perfect. This seemingly singular view of what sushi should be could hinder you in making the best one for you and your loved ones. Instead of focusing on making the perfect roll, why not learn about the different types of sushi out there. Aside from rolls and nigiri, there are temaki and chirashi, which are much easier to make. While temaki is a sushi that has been hand-rolled into a cone shape, chirashi is a bowl of sushi rice with a mix of toppings. Want to learn Sushi making online? Breakthrough Sushi now offers online sushi class. Our sushi kit includes fish and ingredients you need to make sushi while attending the class. The kit can be shipped 48 US states.

Are you thinking of making sushi a bigger part of your life? If you love sushi, or just want to learn a bit more about the traditional Japanese favorite, there are many reasons to take a class. If you have not grown up with this special food, you may consider it something complicated or pretty special. Newcomers to this art form have similar trepidations. After all, it’s known for being raw fish. And raw fish is tricky. But it’s not really that complicated, and after taking a class, you will get to know it better. Here are four more great reasons to take a sushi making class in NYC. Reason #1 - It’s a lot of fun Making sushi is fun because, even though there are proper ways and rituals associated with the craft, it is also very much a ‘have-it-your-own-way” type of food. You don’t have to be perfect with the flavors or with the designs of the rolls. Experiment if you want to. The fun is in the building of the rolls and learning how it all fits together. Taking a sushi making class in NYC teaches accomplishment, and it is very satisfying as well. As a team building activity for work, or a party event with friends, taking a sushi making class in NYC is a good time. Use your hands to create, get involved with problem-solving, and cooperate in a group. Sushi making is a great activity to feel good about. Reason #2 - Sushi is a healthy food, and this is a skill you can do at home Sushi is considered to be healthy food. It’s important as well to realize that sushi is not all about fish. If you don’t like fish, or feel uneasy about eating raw fish, those are not the only options. Sushi can be, but is not, just raw fish. Taking a sushi making class in NYC will give you more than just raw fish. It is also rice, vegetables, seaweed, cooked fish, and other cooked or pickled foods, as you wish. It is healthy and delicious, however, you choose to make it, and with a few inexpensive tools, like a bamboo rolling mat, it is easy to make this healthy and impressive food at home, too. Reason #3 - Get a little bit of Japanese culture as you learn Fish and rice are a big part of the Japanese lifestyle, and so is carefully creating an item of exquisite, simple beauty. Sushi chefs train for years to become masters, and the ingredients are respected and valued. Mealtime is a time when family and traditions are observed. Taking a sushi making class in NYC can show how old traditions can meet new ones in delicious ways. Reason #4 - You get to eat it afterward One of the greatest things about taking a sushi making class in NYC comes afterward. There is a sushi eating party where everyone sits together and enjoys the fruits of their labor, perhaps paired with a glass of sake, wine, or beer. Sushi is meant to be enjoyed right away. It doesn’t last long, so it is best to eat as soon as you can! Contact us for more details.

Image from Shutterstock If you’ve ever been to a Chinese restaurant, you may have seen a fish tank with live fish. You can choose the fish and they will cook it for you. This style of service is popular in many Asian countries, including Japan. However, not all the restaurant have a fish tank inside of the restaurant, especially high-end seafood and sushi bars. Before I explain some of the reasons for not having the fish tank at the restaurant, let me illustrate the advantages of having one. Visually Appealing This may sound odd, or make uncomfortable to those who are not used to this custom. However, to many Japanese and Asians, seeing fish in an aquarium will make them think, “Hmmm, that Tuna looks yummy.” It stimulates their appetite. Being able to see and pick what you want to eat adds entertainment value to the customers. Assurance, Service Customers can look, choose which fish to eat, and approve before being cooked. It’s a bit like your waiter bringing a bottle of wine and have it examined by the customer before opening it. It’s a way to give assurance to the customers. The whole service adds value and experience. Lasts Longer This is particularly the case with shellfish, such as crab and shrimp. Once dead, they deteriorate quickly, especially crab. This is why you rarely see raw crab at the fish section at the market. They are almost always cooked. Image by yuki0328 from Pixabay So, as long as the fish are alive in the tank, at least, they won’t get spoiled. This is good for the restaurant since they can order a larger quantity and keep it alive, avoid waste. Added Premium Value Because the fish is “alive” and “fresh,” the restaurant can add extra value to the price, which includes the maintenance cost to keep the fish alive in the tank. The reasons NOT to keep the fish in the tank alive Inferior Taste First and foremost, the live fish in a fish tank at a restaurant is, in most cases, inferior in taste to the fish that has been dead (given the dead fish was gutted correctly, cleaned, kept over ice). To some people, this may sound contrary to the fact that the fish is “alive” and “fresh.” Here are the reasons why they taste inferior. The healthier the fish is, the better it tastes The bottom line is the healthier the animal is, the better it tastes to us, humans. So, if the wild fish was kept in a small fish tank, being cramped with other fish, receiving less exercise, less food, could you say its health is better or worse than when it was swimming in the ocean? It is less healthy. In addition, the change in the environment will cause stress to the fish. Stress will affect the overall health of the fish, which will affect its taste. Imagine you were living in a large house and forced moving into a small house that is 10% of what you are used to, living with ten total strangers. Wouldn’t you get stressed out? Would your health get better or worse? I know I would be stressed. Not all the fish tastes better when they are fresh I’ve written an answer to this (How does a top sushi chef age different fish?) and when it comes to the taste, you need to age the fish. For tuna, it takes at least a few days, up to one, sometimes two weeks of aging to develop the flavor after the fish is dead. So, for the above two reasons, many restaurants (especially the high-end sushi restaurants), will never have the fish tank and keep the fish alive. Size Some fish are just too big to transport alive. Swordfish, Bluefin Tuna, Alaskan Halibut, Opa is an example. Not to mention, having a fish tank large enough to keep them alive would make the restaurant size of an aquarium. Technically Challenging (to keep the fish alive in a tank) Keeping the wild fish in the human-made environment creates a lot of challenges. One of the problems I’ve read is that bluefin tuna swims so fast and they sometimes unable to detect the glass (or the plastic at some aquarium) in the fish tank. Some of them swim right into it, die from hitting the glass. For smaller fish, it may be less of a problem, but to keep any animals alive and healthy is another job on its own. There are enough things to do just to keep a restaurant running, so why add more work unless you see a great benefit in doing so? Cost Regardless of the size, it cost more to transport the live fish compared to the dead ones. As the size of the fish gets bigger, it even costs more. Of course, it costs more to keep them alive, all of which will be added to the price of a dish. Inhumane Imagine going to a farm and choose one cow to eat, then witness being slaughtered right in front of you. It could provoke uneasiness in some customers. Because I grew up in Japan, watching some live fish cut in front of me at a restaurant, I feel OK watching the whole process. However, I did notice some of my customers felt uneasy when I took out a live shrimp, removed its head. Its body was still moving as I peeled of its skin on the cutting board at the sushi bar. I am also aware some people are not used to seeing a whole fish, especially its head, so for them, it is less appetizing, or could cause the feeling of disgust. It would take too long Assuming a restaurant could keep bluefin tuna alive in the fish tank, it would take (I am guessing) one to two hours to take it out from the tank, kill it, clean, fillet, then turn into a dish. Would you wait for two hours for your piece of Tuna nigiri at a restaurant after you ordered it? I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s just too long of a wait, unless of course, that’s the whole part of a dining experience, like a dinner show. Too Much Let’s assume we could keep bluefin tuna alive and serve at a restaurant. It would be just too many servings of tuna. If we were to convert the whole bluefin tuna weighing 100kg into Tuna nigiri, it would be around 2000–4000 pieces of tuna nigiri. That’s a lot of nigiri to serve. On a personal note, I have nothing against seeing a fish tank at a restaurant. I have ordered live shrimp, crab, and fish from the tank at restaurants before and I will continue to do so in the future because I’d like to enjoy the entire dining experience which the restaurant offers. (Originally posted on Quora.)

When I started being a Sushi chef nineteen years ago, I had no idea how to make Sushi Rice, how to cut Maguro, fillet Kanpachi, make California Roll, Dragon Roll, Shrimp Tempura roll make Sashimi and Nigiri. I enjoyed every step in learning all the techniques associated with Making Sushi. I love it because I met so many great Sushi Chefs who taught me what I know today. I am ever so grateful for them. I regret I never had a chance to say “Thank you!” to them. Many of them told me about mise en place of Sushi, how to take care of my tools, especially knives. They taught me how to be efficient in the kitchen and, most importantly, how to work cleanly at the Sushi Bar. I was a very messy chef when I started. I enjoy filleting fish like Tai Snapper. I love that sound my knife makes when I place it and slide through its bones to separate the meat. I got excited every time I go pick up the fish from our fish supplier, and they tell me, “Kaz, we got a nice local King Salmon in today, and they are really beautiful.” I love it when I pick up that Salmon, take it back to the kitchen, cure it in sugar and salt, as it changes the color. I love finding out new fish like Scallops from New Jersey, which I think is the sweetest scallops I’ve ever tasted. It’s so perfect that it requires nothing more than little lemon juice and a pinch of salt. I love the smell of Sushi Vinegar evaporating as I pour it over steaming hot short-grain rice in Hangiri, a wooden sushi rice mixing tub. I love it when it cools down and starts to taste good after several hours. I love curing Saba, Mackerel in vinegar for two to three hours, always guessing how long to marinate, taking out, tasting it, and putting it back, taking out again to figure out the perfect marinating time. I love it more when Saba tastes even better the following day after its marinated. When working at a Sushi Bar, I loved the interaction with the Sushi Bar Customers. I love getting to know the regulars, finding out their likes so that I could save some special fish for them when they arrived. I love watching regulars smiling, being happy eating the Sushi I make. I loved it when they said Thank you at the end of the meal. I love the simplicity of a Nigiri, yet how difficult it is to make it. I love its complexity and depth. Every time I make it, it teaches me the lesson, “Sometimes, the simplest thing can be the most difficult to master.” I love Nigiri because there is nothing to hide. I love “slicing” Sashimi because it’s so simple and yet so hard to do it properly. As a business owner of Breakthrough Sushi, I love it when our clients send us nice Holiday Cards every year. I love it when some of the clients call us back to hire us for their private Sushi Dinner. It’s so intimate and I love that. I love it when I see their happy faces when I say, “It’s nice to see you again.”

It was the year 2000 when I knocked on the door of a Sushi Restaurant in Los Angeles, after seeing a help wanted ad in a newspaper. I had no previous professional culinary career. The only professional experience I had was working at the College Food Service Cafeteria. I had nothing else to show in my resume, which I did not bother to bring. During my interview with the owner of the restaurant, I said, “I will do anything.” The owner looked at me in the eyes and said, “OK, you start in two days. Come back then.” I think I got the job because I was determined. That’s how I started my sushi training. For the first two weeks, I stood inside of the sushi bar and watched other sushi chefs work. That was all I did. Depending on how you look at it, you may say that I was not allowed to do anything because I was just starting. I look at it as one of the best training moments I received. There is a saying in Japanese culinary art: Steal with your eyes. What it means is that you learn by watching. Traditionally, the Japanese consider watching to be the best way to learn any art. They say that as long as you pay enough attention to what’s in front of you, everything you need to know is right there. Of course, the key point being “as long as you pay enough attention.” That is the key. Your curiosity and love of art will make a significant difference in your learning curve. I paid attention to how other chefs made sushi — their body movement, how they cut fish, how they made rolls and nigiri, which plate they used and how they plated. Plate for sashimi was different from the one for rolls or nigiri. Things appeared simple. The reality was that nothing was easy. We had prepped for a couple of hours before the restaurant opened. On my first day, I was asked if I had my knife. I never knew that I had to have my own. The next day, they ordered a sushi knife for me, which I ended up using for over ten years. The very first thing I needed to learn was to tell which fish was what because I need to place them in the refrigerated sushi display case on top of the sushi bar. Each fish had to be placed in the same place every time — just like your local supermarket pasta section where spaghetti is on the top shelf and linguini in the second. It took me several days until I was able to distinguish the difference between Hamachi, halibut, and snapper (all white looking fish). Cutting vegetables came next. I (of course?) cut my finger several times in my first week. Making of sushi rice did not seem so challenging because at least, I grew up eating rice. All I had to do was cook rice and add sushi vinegar mix. I suppose anyone can make sushi rice. Not everyone can make it taste exceptionally good. The most important part of making sushi rice is to keep the grain of rice intact while you mix sushi vinegar with a big wooden paddle (called Shamoji). After several days into my training, one of the chefs showed me how to make an inside out (rice out) roll. I practiced using leftovers. It had taken me a couple of months before I felt comfortable serving my rolls to customers. For the first several months, I made rolls only. If I needed to cut fish, other senior chefs made slices for me. It was not that they did not allow me to touch the fish, they were showing me how to slice fish for rolls so that I can learn. After rolls came nigiri. No matter how many times I watched and saw in a book, I could never figure out how they made the nigiri. I think the main reason being that most sushi chefs move so quickly when to make nigiri. It’s like a magic trick. The way I learned how to make nigiri was to make a “imitation rice ball” using Kleenex tissue and plastic wrap. I had this rice ball all the time (even when I was not working) and practiced my hand movement for at least one month. Forming the small rice ball for nigiri was only the first challenge. The second challenge comes in the form of slicing fish. Slicing fish involves knowing the fish — how to cut, how thin to cut, which direction to cut, which part to cut and knowing how it would taste when it’s cut in a certain way. I say that it probably took me anywhere from three to six months before I felt comfortable to make nigiri (or serve it to customers). Sashimi, perhaps, is one of the most difficult techniques a sushi chef must learn. There is my post on why it’s so difficult here —( Kaz Matsune’s answer to Does a sashimi chef really need that much skill? Pure sashimi is just nicely cut fresh fish. The fresher the fish, the better the taste. So what exactly is the top sushi chef in the world really doing?) I learned how to fillet fish after one year into my training. You may have heard or read that traditionally in Japan; one must spend at least three to five years before he is allowed to touch the fish. I cannot say if things are the same over there now, but from my experience and what I’ve heard from other sushi chefs, things are a lot different here in the US. Many told me that they learned how to make rolls on their first day. I think there is no better or worse way to learn. What’s important is that the way you are learning is the best way for you, meaning you feel good about your training. I worked for a year and a half at the first restaurant, and I moved to a different restaurant. Over my professional culinary career, I worked for about ten different sushi restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Each restaurant had a different recipe (like what to put in spicy tuna) and style (how to cut fish). I met and worked with several chefs who had training in Japan. From them, I learned how to make tamago, prep kohada (gizzard shad), Katsuo (bonito) and many shellfish (giant clam, red clam, abalone). I love the art of sushi, and it is fascinating. What I love about it is its simplicity. There is nothing to hide and are many things done to it (meaning prep work). It looks simple and complicated at the same time. Just like any other art, there is no end — one can go as deep as he wants to or stop. A variety of fish seems endless — even the same fish has a different taste from year to year, so you need to adjust how you prep them. After 15 years, yes, I can make nigiri, sashimi, fillet a whole fish and run my own business. Have I mastered it? Yes, some. A lot to learn still. If you compare me to a sushi chef like Jiro Ono, who has over 65 years of experience, I am still a baby. I am still learning the art, and so far, it seems that there is no end to it.

What is Sushi?（寿司、鮨） By definition, Sushi is Sushi Rice plus ingredients. Sushi Rice is seasoned with Rice Vinegar, Sugar and Salt, sometimes without sugar. Ingredients can include anything - fish, vegetables, and meats. The word Sushi comes from Su (酢vinegar) Meshi (飯rice) in Japanese. Sushi comes in many forms and varieties. What Sushi is NOT Sushi does not mean raw fish. Sashimi is not Sushi. Nigiri does not automatically mean Sushi, though, many Japanese people assume it to be Sushi when used in the conversation. What is Sashimi?（刺身） Sliced meat. When Japanese say Sashimi, they usually assume it to be "raw fish" Sashimi. Other varieties of Sashimi are Chicken Sashimi, Yuba (bean curd) Sashimi, and Konnyaku (a type of potato) Sashimi. What Sashimi is NOT Raw fish is not Sashimi. Sashimi is not always raw fish. What is Nigiri?（握り） A type of Sushi. The correct term is Nigiri-Zushi (握り寿司). Neta (ingredients) on top of a small amount of Sushi Rice. In Japanese, Nigiri means to squeeze, to grab - referring to the movement a Chef makes to form Neta and Shari together. Neta on top of the Sushi Rice can be fish, vegetables or meats, with fish being the most widely served and consumed. Gunkan, battleship is one type of Nigiri (far right, bottom raw, is Ikura Gunkan). What Nigiri is NOT Nigiri is not Sashimi. Nigiri is not raw fish. Nigiri is not always raw fish. Nigiri is not always fish. Tamago, the egg, is another type of Nigiri.

Allow me to share a secret (well, it’s more like a myth I suppose). Sushi chefs eat less sushi than you think they do. Many people (or at least those who asked me the question during my sushi classes) assumed I eat a lot of sushi. So, they asked me a question like, “What is the best sushi restaurant in the city?” or, “Which restaurant do you recommend?” The fact is, at least these days, I eat less sushi than when I was starting out some nineteen years ago. When I started my sushi training, I was eager to learn, so I went out and ate a lot of sushi so that I could learn. I also tasted (not eating) lots of fish while at work. I sampled different types of rolls and different combinations of fish and vegetables, different recipes and experimented with the ratio of rice and ingredients. I continued this practice intensely for the first five years or so and then, I slowed down. I learned a lot and felt I did not have to visit so many restaurants anymore. Secondly, I started to lose interest in “eating” sushi as a meal because, well, I was tasting and seeing it every day. If that sounds unbelievable to you, ask anyone who’s been working at a pizza restaurant for several years. I was at this take-out pizza restaurant one evening placing my to-go order when I saw one staff looking at a menu for Chinese take out. He said, “What’s for dinner…” I asked, “Why don’t you want to eat pizza?” “No, way. I tasted them all. No more pizza for dinner for me,” he shouted. I completely understood and agreed with him. The same thing happened to me with sushi and I can assume the same (if not similar) to other sushi chefs. I knew a famous sushi chef (been in the business for some thirty years) in San Francisco. My wife and I saw him at a Japanese supermarket on my day off. My wife asked him, “What do you go out to eat?” “French,” he replied. He then looked at me and said, “We (sushi chefs) don’t go out to eat sushi, right, Kaz?” I nodded.

I think one of the most critical aspects of sushi bar experience is the interaction with the chef. No other cuisine offers such dynamic interaction between a chef and a customer. A customer has an opportunity to sit directly in front of a chef to place an order. This, creates a unique bonding experience for both the chef and the customer. Because I've been a sushi chef for over nineteen years, and worked at about ten different restaurants, here are some of the tips I can offer to those who are interested in becoming "friends" with a sushi chef. 1. Be patient Someone once said to be an excellent customer at a bar is like becoming a member of a private club, except there is no membership card. To obtain this invisible membership card, you need to go there frequently, be noticed and recognized by the chef, and get to know about the sushi chef before he gets to know you. Watch his moves, say hello and thanks, and most importantly, study him. If your sushi chef is exceptional, then he will notice you, watch you and learn your likes and dislikes. So, when will you know you have obtained the membership card? You will know! It's a small thing like he starts recommending you a special fish, or giving you a special dish before you order anything. 2. Learn the two beautiful Japanese words These are the two words that will get any Japanese chef's attention: "Ita•daki•masu" before the meal and "Gochiso•sama" at the end of the meal. "Itadakimasu" simply means "Let's eat" or "I shall receive this meal." It's is similar to "bon appétit." Gochiso•sama means "Thank you for a meal." These two words are non-religious, but rather, a reflection of beautiful Japanese custom based on gratitude. If you say this before and after the meal, with your hands clasped together, you will gain any Japanese's attention and respect in no time. By the way, saying, "Kon•banwa" (good evening) and "Arigato gozai•masu" (thank you very much) doesn't hurt either. 3. Leave it to the chef The best compliment you can give to any sushi chef is to ask for Omakase - a chef's recommendation. This action confirms the chef that you trust him to give you the best. Any exceptional sushi chef will do whatever it takes to make your dining experience extraordinary. I always asked my customers both what they liked and disliked. I think all the sushi chefs should ask his customers their preferences before starting for omakase. 4. Do make a reservation Every time you visit your favorite sushi chef, please make sure you reserve your seats at the bar. Also, make sure to request that your seat is right in front of your sushi chef and if possible, ask to inform your chef so that your sushi knows you are coming, and he can prepare for your visit. When I saw a "reserved" sign at the sushi bar, I always asked to find out if it was my customer or not so that I could reserve a special part of a fish only for that customer. 5. Offer your chef a drink To offer a drink to the chef is just one gesture to show your gratitude, like saying Arigato. While in Japan, this custom is practiced only among the regulars, in the US, it's OK to offer drinks even if it's your first visit to the establishment, because many Japanese chefs would understand your gesture, being in a different country, not Japan. But make sure to ask if he drinks or not. If you find out the chef doesn't drink, that is an excellent opportunity to ask questions to find out what he/she likes instead. 6. Avoid asking the chef, "What's fresh today?" or "What's good today?" Because everything is supposed to be fresh and great. Many sushi chefs, myself included, feel this is somewhat insulting when a customer asks this question. In fact, sushi chefs may think you are "inexperienced customer" because, if you are a connoisseur, you should be able to tell the quality of fish by looking at the fish in the display. I do understand that some people use it as an ice-breaker to start a conversation with a sushi chef. Instead, ask the chef to make you a couple of recommendations. When I was working at a sushi bar, I always had some special fish (like special engawa). Those were never listed on the "Special's" because there were only one or two servings. I saved it for my favorite customers in case they asked for something special. "Ask, and you shall receive" is true, but you need to ask to receive it. 7. Go to visit the chef during the slow time When I was working at a sushi bar, the best time for me to welcome a good customer was around 5:30 PM-7:00 PM on Tuesday or Wednesday night. Why? Because it was after finishing setting up the sushi bar before the dinner crowd hit the restaurant. During this time, I was usually not so busy and relaxed, and so were the other chefs. Naturally, I had more time to take care of the customer at the sushi bar than say on Friday night. #sushichef #sushi #japanesefood

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay Let me list some easy to very difficult tips: Use spring/filtered water to cook rice (Easy) Neglected by many, this is simple and makes a world of difference. Come to think of it, the food we eat contains water — a lot of them. So, it makes sense to use quality water for cooking. Use filtered or spring water to wash and cook. Soak before cooking rice (Easy) The flavor of rice, glucose lies at its core. Soaking helps to bring out more flavor, helps to cook the fully puffed grain. Also, the rice stays intact even after cool. A minimum of fifteen minutes is what I recommend. If you have extra time, thirty minutes of soaking is good. The texture of rice when making a nigiri (Very Difficult) Japanese consider the texture of the food essential — as crucial as the taste. Needless to say, Sushi rice is no exception. When making a nigiri, you are supposed to press the thumb against the sushi rice to create an air pocket, then fold the rice to seal. You then apply enough pressure so that the rice sticks together, keeping each grain intact. The ideal nigiri rice should break apart when you put in your mouth. This sounds simple and is the most difficult to master. I can explain the principle here, but the only way you know how much pressure to apply is through practice. For Hosomaki, seaweed out thin roll, the perfect texture of the rice is that when you pour soy sauce, it should run through straight from its top to the bottom. In other words, sushi rice is not crushed or sardine-packed like, but have some empty space in between. This is very difficult. I don’t know how to do it, or cannot do this. According to chef Mizutani, who was an apprentice of Jiro Ono, the only person who could do this is Jiro Ono.

The word "Sushi" refers to ingredients plus Sushi Rice, which is rice mixed with Sushi Vinegar (rice vinegar, sugar and salt). When rice is mixed with Sushi vinegar, it is called "Su-meshi." The word "Su" means vinegar, and "Meshi" means rice. It is said that people started to abbreviate the word "Su-meshi" to "Sushi," which became the name of the dish we now call Sushi. Therefore, as long as the dish uses Sushi Rice it is called Sushi. The ingredients to mix with Sushi rice can be anything - vegetables, fish, and meat, both raw and cooked. The style of Sushi as we know now, is said to be invented by Hanae Yohei circa 1830 in Tokyo. For his Nigiri Sushi, Yohei used ingredients (mostly fish) caught in Edo Bay, thus the name Edo Mae Sushi (Edo Style). Because of the lack of refrigeration, Yohei used such techniques as marinating fish in soy sauce (zuke), curing and cooking. Anago/Sea Eel, and Clam were some of the cooked ingredients. So you cannot talk about authentic Sushi without talking about cooked fish.

What are some rules of sushi restaurant kitchen etiquette most people don't know about? Here is some professional kitchen trivia that may make your next visit to the sushi bar more enjoyable. This article was originally posted on Quora. It is a response to a question. Say "good morning" at the beginning of the shift. Japanese take teamwork seriously. Therefore, a greeting is mandatory. Failing to greet someone is worse than making a mistake on the job. If you forget to greet, you will not be allowed to work is the unwritten rule everyone knows. No matter what time of the day your shift starts, you always greet by saying, "ohayo gozai masu," good morning in Japanese. This is common practice at restaurants in Japan, as well as in the entertainment industry. In the beginning, I felt weird saying "good morning" at 3 p.m. when I started my shift. It made me feel guilty as if I partied all night long, went to bed in the morning, and got up in the afternoon to arrive work, although I didn't. I got used to it, and it became natural. Why and when this rule started is unclear. I guess saying good morning makes you feel "normal" and the "same" as those who start working in the morning. Arrive at least 10 to 15 minutes before your shift time. If your shift starts at 10 a.m., you are expected to be ready, fully dressed in your uniform, have all your knives and tools out, finished going to the bathroom, and start working at 10 a.m. sharp. Working in a kitchen is a battle against time. There is no room to sit around and spend time doing things you could have done before your shift. Every second count. Have you been to Japan? Then, you know how accurate the train schedules are. If it says the train arrives at 11:23, it will come precisely at 11:23. Passengers would be waiting for the train at least five to ten minutes before its arrival. This is the environment the Japanese grow up; School, groups, social gatherings, events, and work. Being late is rude. Being not ready at a promised time is rude, a sign of an incompetent human being, worker. This leads to the third rule ... Never sharpen your knife during your shift. Working in a kitchen is like going to a battle, and your knife is one of the most important weapons, like a gun to a soldier. How can you fight when your weapon is not ready? On a battlefield, that is a matter of life and death. In a kitchen, a dull knife means you are sacrificing the overall quality of the dishes and not performing at your optimum level. A dull knife is the same as the gun without a bullet. Taking care of your tools is an important part and fundamental practice among all Japanese chefs. It's a matter of discipline. A chef should sharpen the knife before or after the shift, and never during the shift. I did not know this until I started working at a professional kitchen. My boss yelled at me, sharpening my knife during the downtime because I didn't understand the concept of the kitchen being a battlefield. Also, you are expected to have your own sharpening stone(s) because of wear and tear from the usage. More than technique, the first thing you need to do before sharpening your knife is to make sure the surface of the whetstone is flat. If you sharpen your knife on an uneven surface, your knife will never be as sharp as it should be. It's like driving a car without tire alignment. It's a matter of physics. When working at a restaurant, I used to sharpen my knives every day, sometimes twice during the shift when busy. All may sound very simple and easy to do. You may be surprised to know how many times I failed to sharpen my knives before my shift. But then, when was the last time you checked the air in your tire, and did the alignment on your car before? There are some secret words among sushi chefs Sushi chefs have developed some secret words only used at a sushi bar. Perhaps the need arose from as a courtesy to customers. It could be that the Japanese culture is more about concealing than revealing. The word "aniki" (older brother) refers to older ingredients, and "otõto" (younger brother) means fresher ingredients. Be assured that aniki does not mean "old, bad, and not servable." Also, when it comes to fish, fresh fish is not always what you want to eat. (here is my article) It means older compared to other fish. Shibuichi (article about tuna here) means quarter-cut, but I've only heard at the sushi bar. My guess is it is used at the fish market in Japan also. Ten-pa, or Ten-mi is the part of Tuna meat close to the bones. It's soft and ideal for Sashimi. The word "ten" means the ceiling or heaven. Murasaki means Purple in Japanese, but at the sushi bar, it is soy sauce because of its dark color. Dolesu is the word for half fille of fish without a head. I heard it came from shortening the word "Headless." Remove your apron upon entering the bathroom. As a gesture for cleanliness and hygiene, a Japanese chef is taught to remove his apron when entering the bathroom, either leaving it in the kitchen or some specified location away from the customers' view, nicely folded, like a perfectly executed origami. I believe the same goes for the waitstaff. Say "knife" when walking with a knife in a kitchen. When walking in a kitchen with a knife, you are to hold it behind your back, blade facing away. You can also attach it by your thigh, blade facing back. This will protect you and someone running into you from the front. If someone would come from your behind, he/she will see your knife. As you walk with your knife, you should shout, "Knife, coming down," making sure everyone hears you. It's a simple yet effective protective measure. Another shouting safety measure is "Ushiro Torimasu," walking behind you, which is a common practice in the western professional kitchen as well.