Although you won’t be kicked out of the average Japanese restaurant for mistreating your fish, knowing how to eat sushi the right way enhances the experience and even turns the meal into a cultural lesson. Sushi is not a cheap hobby, so why not have fun and learn something cultural along the way? Look out for the excellent documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi and you may find yourself in a raw fish frenzy.
Serious sushi chefs study for decades to master making those tasty morsels. Applying some basic sushi etiquette and appreciating your creations in the right way shows respect for generations of effort. What was once considered fast food has become a culinary art.
Also, sushi masters are passionate and possess many sharp knives – it’s best to stay on the bright side.
Disclaimer: The following tips are applicable only for a true sushi experience at an authentic Japanese restaurant, not at any restaurant that includes burgers and pizzas elsewhere on the menu.
Interacting with the chef
First, sitting at the counter is the ideal place if you want to get serious about the experience. Go front and center. You should approach your sushi chef only when necessary, but ask immediately what they recommend. Most likely, you have chosen fish from the market, you know what looked good that day, and will reward your confidence in it with extra care. Just picking up a menu and choosing randomly shows that you are not interested in their opinion. Even if you don’t accept your suggestion, he’ll appreciate your interest in what’s going on behind the scenes.
That being said, never distract the chef later with questions or small talk related to food, weather, or Japanese customs. The man is an artist and he holds a sharp knife. Let it work!
If the meal turns out to be an unforgettable experience, you can even offer the chef a shot of sake . If he accepts, you should have one with him. Never try to give money, not even a tip, to the chef; They work with raw fish all day and should never touch money. Also, tipping is rare in Japanese custom and should be done with care.
Tip: The correct way (in Japanese) to pronounce sake is not “sah-key”, it is “sah-keh.”
At formal sushi restaurants, you may be instructed to speak to a concierge before the session begins. This ensures that in case the chef does not speak English, you have the opportunity to report any selections you want to avoid or any allergies. Ideally, your requests will be relayed to the chef to avoid any potential loss of face for either party.
Getting ready to eat sushi
The wet towel is for hand washing before eating, mainly because the traditional way to eat sushi maki and nigiri is with your fingers. Use the towel to clean your fingers, then put it aside; Don’t wear it on your face to cool off!
Follow basic etiquette on how to use chopsticks politely when eating sashimi, slices of raw fish without rice.
Pour only a tiny amount of soy sauce into the bowl; you can always add more later if needed. Waste of soy sauce is taboo on Japanese food label. Also, spilling too much means that you suspect the fish is old and needs a lot of ‘care’ before you even taste it.
Tip: Don’t add wasabi to your little bowl of soy sauce! Although this is a common practice, dipping sushi in this manure is not the best way to enjoy it.
When you’re not eating, your chopsticks should be placed in the holder next to your plate, arranged and parallel to the table, rather than on the plate or your bowl. Leaving your chopsticks somewhere else may indicate that you have finished eating! Sitting chopsticks between pieces of sushi is polite and acceptable.
Using Wasabi and Ginger With Sushi
Believe it or not, no matter how much you enjoy the burn, turning your soy sauce into a cloudy mess by mixing wasabi is not the right way to eat sushi. The chef will have already added small amounts of wasabi to each piece, depending on the type of fish, to bring out the flavors.
Japanese restaurants provide additional wasabi to accommodate people with spicy interests, however, adding too much wasabi in front of the chef not only hides the natural flavor of the fish that he painstakingly selected; It’s like throwing ketchup on a perfect cut of meat at an expensive steakhouse!
If you need to add wasabi, brush a little over the fish with your toothpick or a piece of ginger. Don’t leave the ginger on top of the sushi as an upgrade! Sucking the extra wasabi off your chopsticks is also considered bad form.
Fresh ginger is provided to cleanse your palate between bites and should never be eaten at the same time with a piece of sushi. You can always ask for additional ginger if you need it.
How to eat sushi the right way
Fortunately, there are no pretentious guidelines on what kind of sushi you should eat first, and it doesn’t follow any order. The chef can have his own plan for which pieces should come in what order. If you especially enjoy something the chef made, tell them and ask for another piece.
Sashimi is generally eaten with chopsticks, but the traditional way to eat sushi is by lifting a piece between the thumb and middle finger. Picking up the sushi with your fingers allows you to feel the texture and helps hold it together, rather than damaging it with wooden sticks. Regardless, you will be forgiven for using chopsticks.
Again, the only time it is acceptable to mix wasabi with your soy sauce is when you will be eating sashimi.
Turn the piece upside down by turning it counterclockwise, then dip only the fish in your soy sauce, never the rice. Not only will the rice soak up too much soy sauce and change the texture of the bite, it will leave the rice in your bowl as a hobbyist. Preparing vinegar rice correctly is also part of the art of sushi.
Sushi pieces like unagi (eel) and those with sauce already on top should not be dipped.
To be a true sushi pro, the pieces must be placed face down in your mouth so that the fish is against your tongue. Allow your tongue to take in the complex flavors before swallowing the bite. No matter the size, ideally you will be able to eat the entire piece in one bite. Trying to make a piece in two bites usually results in it falling apart.
The last and most important rule of thumb on how to eat sushi properly is that you enjoy every bite, it is most likely the bill and not the wasabi that causes a little heartburn later!
Final Tip: Remember to give the chef a deep and respectful bow when you leave the establishment.
