TOKYO: Japanese sushi maestro Jiro Ono, whose creations were recently enjoyed by US President Barack Obama and are reputedly the best in the world, warned Tuesday of a sea change in ingredients due to overfishing.
“I can’t imagine at all that sushi in the future will be made of the same materials we use today,” the 89-year-old master told the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan.
Ono owns the three Michelin-starred Sukiyabashi Jiro restaurant — dubbed the world’s best sushi establishment — and was the subject of the 2011 documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.”
“I told my young men three years ago sushi materials will totally change in five years,” he added. “And now, such a trend is becoming a reality little by little.”
Ono referred in particular to a short supply of high-quality domestic tuna, which has prompted sushi dealers in Japan to source Atlantic bluefin varieties instead.
His eldest son Yoshikazu, 53, who helps Ono run the restaurant, explained growing demand for tuna amid a global sushi boom is leading the domestic industry to depend more and more on farmed fish.
The younger Ono also warned of a shrinking stock of highly prized shellfish such as abalone and ark shell, which need more than five years to mature.
“They catch them all together (before some are ready), pushing the stock to deplete.”
Their basement restaurant, which seats just 10 at a counter, opened its doors in 1965 and has remained in an ageing commercial building in a corner of the Ginza district ever since.
It has gained fame for Ono’s rigid discipline and pursuit of perfection, earning three Michelin stars every year since 2007 when the Tokyo edition of the gourmet guide was launched.
When US President Barack Obama traveled to Tokyo last April, he joined a long list of Ono’s celebrity guests, including French master chef Joel Robuchon and Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Katy Perry.
As Obama and Abe went straight into “business-like talks,” focusing on trade, the senior Ono kept serving his own selection of 20 pieces as he does to everyone else, his son said.
“He (Obama) seemed to like chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) very much because he winked when he ate it.”
Japan’s star sushi chef warns of raw deal
Japan’s star sushi chef warns of raw deal
Where We Are Going Today: Taste and Tales by Chef Shagufa
- We shared three platters among the six of us, and needless to say, the portions were generous and the flavors satisfying
Relatively new on the block, Taste and Tales by Chef Shagufa, located in Jeddah’s Al-Rehab district, has been making quite a buzz on social media.
So, on a cool Friday morning at 7:00 a.m., five of my cousins and I decided to visit the restaurant to experience its much-talked-about traditional South Asian breakfast for ourselves.
We ordered the restaurant’s hyped breakfast thali (platter), which included sooji halwa (semolina pudding), kheer (rice pudding), chickpea curry, potato curry, pickles, pooris (fried, fluffy bread), and paranthas (layered flatbread), all served in beautiful copper serveware.
We shared three platters among the six of us, and needless to say, the portions were generous and the flavors satisfying.
Personally, I enjoyed everything on the platter except the semolina pudding, which I found a little bland for my taste.
For drinks, five of us ordered milk tea, which was fairly good. One of my cousins opted for their famed Pakola lassi and couldn’t stop raving about it. Since she didn’t let any of us sample it, we’ve decided it’s something to try on our next visit.
Our total bill came to SR150 ($40), slightly higher than what nearby restaurants charge for similar breakfast platters. However, the taste, presentation, and overall ambience more than make up for the difference.
Not many South Asian restaurants in Jeddah offer decent dine-in breakfast seating for families, but Taste and Tales stands out. With its simple interiors and modest seating, the space is clean, comfortable, and welcoming. It’s definitely a place I’d visit again with my female friends, cousins, and family.
