Documentary 22International DocumentaryMythologized16 MasterJiro Dreams Of SushiStar WayHumblesLuckedMichelin StarsForwardJiro dreams in black and white | I photographed Jiro — of Jiro Dreams of Sushi — and his son back before they had their Michelin stars, way back before they were mythologized by international documentary. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a 2011 documentary by David Gelb focusing on Jiro Ono, the 85-year-old owner and head chef of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a three-Michelin-starred ten-seat sushi restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo.The film outlines Jiro's incredible dedication to his pursuit of the perfect sushi, the career paths of his sons Yoshikazu and Takashi and various apprentices, the fine details of sushi-making, of selecting the right fish, and so on, interspersed with shots of delicious sushi and set to a Philip Glass soundtrack. This film contains examples of: Always Someone Better: Yoshikazu knows that when he eventually inherits the restaurant, he will always be seen as inferior to his father unless his sushi is twice as good as what Jiro made.

Jiro himself mentions how he wishes he had Joel Robuchon's sense of smell and taste, imagining how good his sushi would be if he was as sensitive as Robuchon. Takashi mentions that although he serves the same food as his father, he has to lower his prices to keep customers coming in (of course, reducing it from 30,000 yen—that's $300—isn't that much of a hit), and has two Michelin stars. sushi los angeles takami(Most chefs would kill for just one.) ninja sushi menu wardHe's 85 at the time of filming. jogo sushi cat no frivThe only thing he's changed in his rigorous schedule is that after he was hospitalized at 70, he quit smoking and stopped going to the fish market himself, leaving that (the fish market, that is) to Yoshikazu. sushi me now sorocaba

Food Porn: One common reaction to the movie is that it's 82 minutes of just pure food porn. The ingredients and sushi are all lovingly and artfully presented; many who see the movie say that if you haven't eaten immediately before watching, you'd better have reservations right afterward, because you will be hungry. Heir to the Dojo: Jiro pushed his sons into sushi-making, when they had dreams of going to college and doing other things (Yoshikazu mentions wishing he had had the chance to be a racing driver). Yoshikazu will inherit Jiro's restaurant, while Takashi runs a literal mirror-image (because Takashi is right-handed where Jiro is left-handed) branch restaurant in Roppongi Hills. Because of their training from a young age, they were top-notch sushi chefs far younger than average. Minimalism: An ongoing theme. The cinematography is very simple. Jiro's sushi preparations are noted to be absolutely minimalistic and pure—no fancy multi-layered rolls for him. And the soundtrack is dominated by Philip Glass, the canonical Minimalist composer.

Tokyo Subways: Sukiyabashi Jiro is located just outside the ticket gates at Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro. Supreme Chef: Jiro and his sons are all legendary sushi chefs. Training from Hell: Jiro's apprentices start by squeezing the hot towels presented to the guests. The water is scalding and burns their hands—but if the apprentice can't hand-squeeze the towels, he won't be able to hack the next ten years of training. Workaholic: Jiro works from 5AM to 10 PM. he'd always rather be working. This is another feature length documentary I’d intended to watch for a long time. It was worth the wait. From the New Yorker review: One of the hardest reservations to get in the world is a seat at Jiro Ono’s sushi counter, a three-Michelin-star restaurant adjoining the entrance to the Ginza metro station, in the basement of a business building in Tokyo. A meal there, which consists of twenty pieces of sushi served one at a time, costs thirty thousand Japanese yen (about three hundred and seventy dollars), and lasts about fifteen or twenty minutes.

(By contrast, a meal at Noma, probably the toughest get on the list, takes a good three to four hours). There are only ten seats, there is a set menu (no appetizers or modifications), and there are definitely no California rolls. The question of what makes this hole in the wall so worthy is the subject of a gorgeously shot documentary opening today called “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” directed by David Gelb. Jiro Ono was born in 1925, left home at the age of nine, and has been making sushi ever since. Though Japan has declared him a national treasure, he still says, at the age of eighty-five, “All I want to do is make better sushi.” He goes to work every day by getting on the train from the same position, he always tastes his food as he makes it, and he dislikes holidays. Jiro is described as a shokunin—a person who embodies the artisan spirit of the relentless pursuit of perfection through his craft. Another Japanese term that came to my mind while I watched the film was kaizen, meaning “improvement” or “change for the better.”

The concept is one of process, and it is often applied in business settings, like manufacturing and logistics, to ensure constant and never-ending improvement. Before cooking his octopus, Jiro used to massage it for up to thirty minutes. Now he will massage it for forty minutes, to give it an even softer texture and a better taste. Before a meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro, guests are handed a hot towel, hand-squeezed by an apprentice. The apprentices, who train for at least ten years under Jiro, are not allowed to cut the fish until they practice just handling it. One of the older apprentices says Jiro taught him to “press the sushi as if it were a baby chick.” Read the rest hereSushi originated as casual food served at food stalls in the Edo era. Sushi chefs would brush "nikiri soy sauce" and "nitsume(or tsume) sauce" on top on the sushi they made and place them in The customers would quickly eat the sushi with their hands, then drink some tea, wipe their hands on the noren curtain , and depart the food stall.

Because of sushi's roots, conversing during the meal and sharing sake together ,while fundamental to the origins of restaurants and pubs, is not customary to sushi houses. maintains the tradition of Edo-style sushi. Arriving at Sukiyabashi Jiro Observe the reservation time, and try not to be late. Bcause we cook rice and prepare vinegared rice based on your reservation time, if you are late, you won't be able to enjoy Sukiyabashi Jiro's sushi to the fullest. The restaurant only has ten counter seats. Since we procure sea food daily from Tsukiji that complements the taste of sushi rice, we do not have snacks to serve with sake. Jiro's recommended beverage is green tea. Please refrain from taking photos of the sushi. The only sure way of enjoying Jiro's sushi is to concentrate on dining. When you leave , we would be pleased to take a commemorative photograph for you at the doorway if you wish. Enjoying Our Omakase Teasting Menu Right now, at Sukiyabashi Jiro we serve only the omakase tasting menu.

Jiro Ono makes the sushi for all customers. The omakase tasting menu served at the counter is determined in the morning each day and served in order. It consists of about 20 sushi pieces. That is quite a large amount. However, Jiro Ono takes care to make each piece smaller for older woman customers. sushi soon after it is placed on the plate in front of you. Its flavors are at their most exquisite when the sushi has just been prepared. Because "nikiri" soy sauce has already been brushed on the sushi, there is no need to dip it in a saucer of soy sauce. Sukiyabashi Jiro has no special dress code. Many guests wear jackets. We may, however, refuse service to customers wearing collarless shirts or shorts, or sandals. We ask our guests to refrain from wearing strong perfume. Please hand over your bag for safekeeping instead of slinging it over a chair. In the past, only cash was accepted, but now you can also pay by credit card. The cost of the omakase tasting menu is 30,000 yen plus tax for either lunch or dinner.

Visiting Sukiyabashi Jiro again Dining at Sukiyabashi Jiro is not like visiting a tourist attraction. Different seasons bring different sushi. If you have enjoyed your experience at Sukiyabashi Jiro, be sure to come again. visit will bring new discoveries. 1.　Pick it up with your fingers Because Jiro Ono makes sushi with an extremely light touch, it contains a lot of air. When it is placed on your plate, it lands softly. It is not easy to hold. Don't pick it up by both ends. Gently lift it up so that it maintains its shape. 2.　Pick it up with your chopsticks If you wish to pick up the sushi placed on your tray with a pair of chopsticks, think of the sushi as a portable shrine. Place your chopsticks parallel to the tray as if they are the shrine's carrying poles, and lift up the sushi by grasping it along its sides. If you grasp it through its middle with your chopsticks, it will surely fall apart. 3.　Avoid spilling the sushi topping

If you pick up a battleship roll sushi from above with your fingers, the sushi topping will fall out when you transport the sushi to your mouth, Instead, lift up the sushi gently by grasping its sides, and eat the entire sushi in one bite. 4.　Flavor it with soy sauce If, by chance, the sushi chef has neglected to brush nikiri shoyu on your sushi, pick up a small amount of shoga (pickled ginger) to use as a substitute for the brush. Soak it in soy sauce, and then brush it across the top of the sushi topping. It is next to impossible to pick up sushi to dip into soy sauce. 5.　Eat some shoga Shoga (pickled ginger) cleanses your palate. But too much of it will burn your mouth. Eat a pinch to remove the aftertaste of fat. To cleanse the palate of an aftertaste, Jiro Ono believes that drinking tea is best . Water is also available for guasts who consider tea too hot. 7.　Don't dip sushi rice into soy sauce If you dip sushi rice in soy sauce, you will spoil its flavor.