03-15-2013, 08:57 AM
Interesting comments. I wouldn't call myself an "expert," although I'm probably more knowledgeable than the average bear (and American) about the subject. Not that it matters but I've lost count of how many times I've visited Japan. The first time I went 36 years ago, I stayed for 10 years. I was fortunate to snag as one of my clients, the owner of one of Yokohama's finest sushi restaurants, although I had no clue at the time how good it was. Suffice it to say that I started out eating premium sushi from the onset, and because of that, it completely spoiled me for life...to the point that while sushi is absolutely one of my favorite foods on the planet, if it's mediocre or less, I'd rather have a good hamburger. (Yes, I admit it, I'm a hoity toity sushi snob!)
I'm not sure what it means to "venerate the sushi chef style." But one of the concepts behind having a sushi bar is transparency: it allows customers to see how the chef prepares the fish, including proper quality control to ensure everything is sanitary. Cleanliness/purity is a deeply ingrained value in Japan to begin with (a legacy of the Shinto religion for you cultural anthropologists out there). It gets even more important when handling raw food, for obvious reasons. This is why I'm wary of eating sushi that's made in a kitchen hidden in the back. Here's a good example: years ago my Japanese wife and I ate at Wasabi's in Kona. It was obvious the sushi chef didn't know what he was doing (he wasn't Japanese, btw) because his wife was not only handling the money at the cash register, she was also jumping behind the sushi bar to help her husband make the sushi--without washing her hands! This is a big quality-control no-no, something any sushi chef worth his salt (or shoyu
would never do. Any legitimate sushi shop will always separate these duties from the chef. No surprise, Wasabi's sushi was horrible. They were clueless!
The other point is that making sushi is not just about slicing up pieces of fish. Without proper training its not easy to do. Sushi chefs are trained to select quality fish (on their daily trip to Tsukiji market in the case of Japan), and transport and store it properly until it's ready for preparation. Cooking the rice is also very important; not too soft, not too hard. And the amount of vinegar used is key. Interestingly, the sushi connoisseur typically orders the tamago (egg) first to determine the quality of the preparation, kind of counterintuitive.
In closing, if you think what you're eating is good sushi then more power to you! It truly is in the eye of the beholder. Just beware: once you taste the premium stuff, you too will be spoiled for life, and you risk becoming a hoity toity sushi snob like me.
I'm not sure what it means to "venerate the sushi chef style." But one of the concepts behind having a sushi bar is transparency: it allows customers to see how the chef prepares the fish, including proper quality control to ensure everything is sanitary. Cleanliness/purity is a deeply ingrained value in Japan to begin with (a legacy of the Shinto religion for you cultural anthropologists out there). It gets even more important when handling raw food, for obvious reasons. This is why I'm wary of eating sushi that's made in a kitchen hidden in the back. Here's a good example: years ago my Japanese wife and I ate at Wasabi's in Kona. It was obvious the sushi chef didn't know what he was doing (he wasn't Japanese, btw) because his wife was not only handling the money at the cash register, she was also jumping behind the sushi bar to help her husband make the sushi--without washing her hands! This is a big quality-control no-no, something any sushi chef worth his salt (or shoyu
would never do. Any legitimate sushi shop will always separate these duties from the chef. No surprise, Wasabi's sushi was horrible. They were clueless!The other point is that making sushi is not just about slicing up pieces of fish. Without proper training its not easy to do. Sushi chefs are trained to select quality fish (on their daily trip to Tsukiji market in the case of Japan), and transport and store it properly until it's ready for preparation. Cooking the rice is also very important; not too soft, not too hard. And the amount of vinegar used is key. Interestingly, the sushi connoisseur typically orders the tamago (egg) first to determine the quality of the preparation, kind of counterintuitive.
In closing, if you think what you're eating is good sushi then more power to you! It truly is in the eye of the beholder. Just beware: once you taste the premium stuff, you too will be spoiled for life, and you risk becoming a hoity toity sushi snob like me.
Tim
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius
