Precision and attention to detail lie at the heart of Japanese cuisine, and getting it right requires a clear head and a focused mind. Are you calm and collected enough to make your own sushi?
Sushi-making differs from most forms of cookery in that it’s more of an art-form than most forms of food preparation. But don’t let this put you off trying: this is also why it’s such a rewarding skill to learn, and why the process itself is so absorbing; an ideal activity to sharpen and slow down the mind. It’s even been described as ‘the zen of fish‘ but don’t worry if you’re vegetarian – there are plenty of recipes and classes that don’t involve seafood!
Since so many westerners are keen (but afraid) to try and re-create the marvels they enjoy at sushi bars and restaurants, a thriving network of sushi schools has sprung up, where you can learn the skills from expert chefs.
One way to learn is to invite the chefs into you own home: a service provided by Teach Me Sushi. This is a great way to pick up the skills in a familiar environment, but is also the priciest option at £250 for a one-to-one, 3.5 hour session. Prices do go down if you book as a group, however.
If you’re willing to travel for your lesson, Nari & Yoshie’s Sushi School is an intimate and friendly course run at the hosts’ family home in London’s Golder’s Green. Classes are offered one-on-one or for groups of up to four with prices starting at £90 per person. Classes can be tailor-made to suit your interests and requirements, and there’s no need to bring any equipment with you.
Yo! Sushi was the first major sushi chain in the UK, bringing the cuisine to a mostly ill-educated marketplace that equated sushi entirely with raw fish. Having opened our minds to the variety and delights of sushi, the brand now wants to teach us how to make our own at its own Sushi School, with classes on offer at St Paul’s churchyard and Poland Street in London. A three-hour lesson including bento lunch costs £75 and upwards, depending on which skills you want to master.
If you’re feeling confident and would like to learn at home, there are plenty of sushi and bento-making kits available to order online, with instructions for beginners.
