and serving a platter of sushi gems. 



that too is typical of sushi restaurants. 

 Because of the personal attention the chef 

 gives his customers, the bars seat only a 

 handful of people. 



And the chef is the star attraction. He 

 is often the reason hungry patrons will 

 wait in line for a seat at the bar rather than 

 take the first available table. 



Ron Takahashi, executive chef at 

 Little Tokyo, works quickly and effi- 

 ciently, all the while smiling and keeping 

 up conversation with the folks gathered 

 round to watch his skillful preparation. 



In Japan, the sushi chef begins as a 

 young apprentice who does nothing more 

 than carry food out to customers. 

 Eventually he is allowed to make rice but 

 continues to observe the master chef at 

 work. In time, as an assistant, he will 

 learn to cut the fish himself and then one 

 day become licensed to open his own 

 shop. 



Takahashi says that process takes 

 about five years to complete because it 

 involves no formal instruction. "In Japan, 



no teaching, just watching," he says. 



He explains that in the United States, 

 a would-be sushi chef can become 

 proficient in under a year because he does 

 not have to learn how to judge the catch. 

 "With fresh fish, you need more experi- 

 ence. One to two years is not enough," he 

 says. 



A typical sushi chef in Japan will rise 

 early in the morning, visit the fish market 

 and purchase his day's selection from 

 catch brought in directly from the sea. He 

 needs the ability to assess the fish at a 

 glance, to determine its quality and 

 freshness before taking it back to his 

 shop. 



In the United States, the fish in most 

 restaurants does not come fresh from the 

 sea. The fish Takahashi serves has first 

 been bought by an importer, who in turn 

 sells the product to a wholesaler. 

 Takahashi receives a shipment from the 

 wholesaler every two weeks, and he 

 thaws the fish and other products as he 

 needs them. 



HOW IS SUSHI 

 PREPARED? 



Though the Japanese prepare raw 

 fish in numerous ways, Americans are 

 most familiar with three basic forms: 

 sashimi, nigirizushi and makizushi. 



Sashimi is simply cuts of raw fish 

 served with rice. What makes or breaks 

 sashimi is how the fish is cut. Different 

 types of fish require different treatment 

 to enhance their flavor and texture. Many 

 species can be cut in rectangular slices 

 about three -eighths inch thick. Seafood 

 with thin body walls, like squid, is cut 

 into strips about 2 inches long and one- 

 sixteenth inch thick. The meat of thick- 

 fleshed fish is cubed, while firm, white- 

 fleshed fish are cut into wafer-thin slices. 



Nigirizushi is made by hand- 

 molding a finger of rice, topping it with a 

 dab of wasabi and then a piece of fish or 

 other topping. Some pieces are then 

 wrapped with a ring of seaweed. 



Continued 



COASTWATCH 9 



■MM 



