michellecarpenter

A lot of people tend to think that if a sushi bar is really busy, it's good. That's not always true.

For me, if I were to walk into a sushi bar, I would immediately sit at the sushi bar and not a table. I would engage the Itamae. You need to develop a connection or relationship to the Itamae. In one trip, you can tell if it's good or not. It boils down to one thing. Is the chef putting his/her name on the line? If a restaurant is promoting their rolls more than they are promoting their chef, you should be hesitant. Of the less than 10 real sushi bars in Dallas, all of them are connected to a real Itamae, not just an assembly line of sushi makers.

It's not different from walking into a chain restaurant or a mediocre restaurant vs dining at a restaurant with an actual named chef.

EDIT: I agree, just because your name is on it does not mean it's going to be good. But once you do put your name on your food, you are subject to judgement, and I would hope that a named chef would put forth his/her best effort. I do and so do the sushi chefs I referenced.

During the movie, I was very proud that my craft was being showcased by a superior chef.

Reflecting on the movie, I felt very sad. The man spends spends his entire life trying to attain perfection, but perfection is not static. But it can't be done. Secondly, on a more selfish level, the movie made me sad because I wish my customers were more like his customers. With all due respect, my California Roll customers pay my rent. With all these sushi bars that are opening, I am afraid that the art of sushi is dying. There are so many rolls covered in sauce. True Itamaes don't do that. Of the 100+ sushi bars in Dallas, there are less than 10 true sushi bars. Everything advances and changes, at a natural pace, but this new fast-food, mass-produced sushi covered in 3 different sauces defeats the purpose of sushi.

I am very, very blessed to own a restaurant, especially in this economy. And I do have a handful of very devoted Sushi Warriors that will travel with me on my culinary journey. Shout out to my SSS members. They allow me my own growth as a sushi chef. And it's not cheap.

What you see in the sushi bar may only take a few minutes to prepare in front of you, but what you don't see is that it can take all day to prep. That's one bite that takes 4 hours to make in the back. That's why it's expensive.

Wow. I didn't know that.

My restaurant is a modern Japanese restaurant. As I mentioned earlier in a previous comment, I have to pay the rent. I try to offer something for everyone, for varying levels and preferences. I personally don't like it, but it is a best-selling roll. There is place for the Philly Roll. I met the Master Itamae that invented this roll, and he is the much more traditional than I am. But he understood his audience and it took me a while to understand my audience. I do not have many Japanese customers. ZEN is located in a very diverse, transitional neighborhood in Dallas.

What sets me apart is my own biography and culinary profile. I'm not trying to offer the Japanese experience. I consider my food New American with strong Japanese influences. My personal creations reflect my style. I was born in on Tokyo. My mother is Japanese and my father is Cajun. I grew up in South and Southwest. I have a distinct flavor profile.

I think I was in the right place at the right time. They were desperate and I was willing to work for free... and be abused. I didn't know about the abuse. The abuse came later.

Everyone gets treated like crap, but some went out of their way to make my experience miserable.

I never in my wildest dreams imagined what would happen last year: A chauvinist chef that I once with, who hit me twice, actually applied for a job at ZEN. My revenge fantasy from 20+ years ago came true, but I didn't feel good. I felt sorry for him.