# What makes one sushi chef better than another? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694 "2011-12-19T01:19:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/121 "2012-01-04T19:11:10Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I think you underestimate my understanding of Japanese culture. Have you ever actually been to Japan? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/122 "2012-01-04T19:12:35Z")
Nope, but my Grandpa died there. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/123 "2012-01-04T19:16:34Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Have you ever actually been to Japan? > [@devilsknew](#): > > Nope, but my Grandpa died there. And that’s what makes you an expert on Japanese culture and Today’s Tokyo? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/124 "2012-01-04T19:21:37Z")
I never claimed to be an expert…all of my answers to this thread were with but one thing in mind, The OP. What makes one sushi chef better than another?. I think if you’ll look to my original posts the spirit of my thread is _culinary_, not _Nihongo-ga_. The laws of the restauranteur and chef are pretty universal. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/125 "2012-01-04T19:35:09Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I never claimed to be an expert…all of my answers to this thread were with but one thing in mind, The OP. What makes one sushi chef better than another?. I think if you’ll look to my original posts the spirit of my thread is _culinary_, not _Nihongo-ga_. The laws of the restauranteur and chef are pretty universal. It’s interesting that you refer to this as your thread, when it was in fact started by **doubled**. And I was not replying to your “original posts”, I was replying to this one: > [@devilsknew](#): > > I think you underestimate my understanding of Japanese culture. Tell me that my International House of Sushi concept wouldn’t go over well in Today’s Tokyo, where everything foreign and especially American is trendy. You have vastly overestimated your understanding of Japanese culture and I expect that if you ever did manage to start a restaurant in Tokyo then it would fail horribly. I also think it’s unfortunate that you insisted on hijacking a thread with a legitimate question about sushi with your fantasies of being “big in Japan”. You should have started your own thread if this was what you wanted to talk about. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/126 "2012-01-04T19:48:54Z")
That post is quite abusive, even by SDMB standards. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/127 "2012-01-04T20:01:35Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > That post is quite abusive, even by SDMB standards. If you feel that I have violated the rules of this board then you are welcome to report me, but you did _ask_ to be told if we thought your restaurant wouldn’t be a success. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/128 "2012-01-04T20:18:05Z")
So, if I opened a Japanese-aMERICAN Restauarant in Tokyo, say in the spirit of a French Restaurant in New York, that employed only a Mexican, White, and Black cast of characters that (novelly) speak Japanese and also give you a chance to use your English, give you some very delicious sushi made in a much more nouvelle and progressed natural “International” evolution of sushi, that you wouldn’t want to eat it. I can see a very simple crisp Cornmeal fried, hot sauce, Catfish or basa nigiri with pimentos rehydrated chilis. Maybe a schmear of chipotle paste to the vinegared rice, the tempura fried catfish or Basa, and a Chocalatey rehydrated pasilla slice… a squeeze of lime and a coriander garnish. Maybe some black toasted sesame added to the rice. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/129 "2012-01-04T20:30:01Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > . Tell me that my International House of Sushi concept wouldn’t go over well in Today’s Tokyo, where everything foreign and especially American is trendy. Sure, I’ll tell you it wouldn’t go over well. Western foods are trendy. But at the low and mid-priced ranges, they aren’t very good. And they often have a Japanese twist. The worst food I ever had in Japan was stuff that was ostensibly Western, though the locals thought it was fine. The normal Japanese stuff was often much, much better, even in dives. But you’re suggesting the reverse - traditionally Japanese food with a Western twist. That’s quite different. Their concept of “trendy Western” is to have ostensibly Western foods done by Japanese and often in a Japanese manner. Maybe you could get it to work, but you really don’t understand the cultural differences if you think it’s an automatically good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/130 "2012-01-04T20:32:03Z")
I don’t like to repeat myself, but since you apparently didn’t read it the first time: > [@Lamia](#): > > You have vastly overestimated your understanding of Japanese culture and I expect that if you ever did manage to start a restaurant in Tokyo then it would fail horribly. I also think it’s unfortunate that you insisted on hijacking a thread with a legitimate question about sushi with your fantasies of being “big in Japan”. You should have started your own thread if this was what you wanted to talk about. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/131 "2012-01-04T20:42:45Z")
I’m simply talking about what makes a better white sushi chef, because some of us aren’t asian. I’ll bet the OP is white. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/132 "2012-01-04T20:56:05Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I’m simply talking about what makes a better white sushi chef, because some of us aren’t asian. I’ll bet the OP is white. The OP had a specific question “Guy A is considered the ‘best’ sushi chef in the world. Why is that?” None of your points really addressed that. It was about YOUR ideas on preparing sushi and opening your own place, i.e. a hijack. And what does the race of the OP have anything to do with the original question anyway? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/133 "2012-01-04T21:09:30Z")
I think it is very important, I like Hard Rock Casino Sushi- American Sushi. The Op is wondering how he can compete (ironically) with Bourdain/Jiro sushi. What marked his differnet in such a simple culinary configuration other than the cultural baggage. I am trying to elucidate that. Atthis point in the evolution of sushi I would be stupid not to include the California style sushi in my fulll arsenal. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/134 "2012-01-04T21:30:50Z")
… Maybe a New Orleans Roll. A seaweed maki with rice, tempura, cornmeal fried, crispy, peppersauce marinated catfish, several crayfish tails, and a kewpee remoulade with the cajun trinity, Cayenne, and some catsup. A touch of horseradish or wasabi…of course most wasabi powders are made with horseradish nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/135 "2012-01-04T21:38:01Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > The Op is wondering how he can compete (ironically) with Bourdain/Jiro sushi. The OP is wondering no such thing. Quit making stuff up in order to justify your extraordinarily bizarre posts in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/136 "2012-01-04T21:41:48Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I’m simply talking about what makes a better white sushi chef, because some of us aren’t asian. I’ll bet the OP is white. Warning issued for ignoring moderator instructions. **devilsknew** , I’m instructing you to stop posting in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/137 "2012-01-04T22:11:36Z")
i think if you restrict me, i will be less complete. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/138 "2012-01-04T22:14:51Z")
> [@doubled](#): > > it’s just raw fish and rice, same as everyone else. His soy sauce is the same recipe as anyone else’s. > [@Broomstick](#): > > Preparation of sushi rice is one of those things where the most basic basics are simple but truly mastering the thing takes years, or even decades. > [@sh1bu1](#): > > As other posters have said, preparing the rice for sushi is very important. It must be cooked perfectly, and even the same variety of rice needs different amounts of water based on how old it is. Then it has to have the correct amount of Mirin added and mixed in deftly so that the grains of rice remain unbroken. While the sushi chef mixes the rice it is fanned by a junior chef to cool it off. When nigiri sushi is formed in the hands it should not be mashed together or remain so loose that it will fall apart. I came in to say exactly this. Preparing the rice and other ingredients perfectly is a difficult skill and is not just a matter of buying the best ingredients and putting them on a plate. If you ever try supermarket sushi and sushi made by a real sushi chef, you can taste the differences in a lot of ways, but the flavor and texture of the rice can be the most obvious. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/139 "2012-01-04T23:23:42Z")
I just heard as far as sushi ingredients are inclined, that American or cajun swamp Crawdads/Crayfish are preferred over the toxic chinese offerings. Seriously, American Crayfish are better from a taste and health checkpoint than the imported crayfish and worth the premium. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694/140 "2012-01-04T23:39:15Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I just heard as far as sushi ingredients are inclined, that American or cajun swamp Crawdads/Crayfish are preferred over the toxic chinese offerings. Seriously, American Crayfish are better from a taste and health checkpoint than the imported crayfish and worth the premium. My cat’s breath smells like cat food. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-one-sushi-chef-better-than-another/606694.md?page=8)