Going Raw

            The art of sushi is still a relatively new concept in many countries, and sushi chefs in Japan have recently been packing their knives to head to those less-charted territories. Students at the Tokyo Sushi Academy in Tokyo plan to join the growing ranks of professional Japanese chefs eager to serve a growing overseas appetite for sushi, according to the New York Times article written by Miki Tanikawa, “Japanese Sushi Students Aim for a Job Overseas.” With Japan’s declining success in the restaurant market, students training in sushi culinary schools are ready to tackle markets in other countries, where sushi is less saturated.

                  “Here in the U.S., especially in Oklahoma, you can see a steakhouse on every corner. Sushi is still an unfamiliar idea to many Americans, so there’s plenty of potential for growth in this market,” Beaux Mitcham, sushi manager at In the Raw Norman, said.

                  Many people in countries like America and Germany may be aware of the sushi craze, but may have never tried the Japanese delicacy. There are plenty of food lovers that are just not keen on the idea of eating raw fish. Perhaps with more and more sushi houses popping up, more people will be willing to give sushi a chance.

                  “I think a lot of people are skeptical of sushi, and as a result they end up missing out on something they’ve never even tried,” Joe Coscia, sushi chef at In the Raw Norman, said.

                The potential for getting food poisoning is also a factor in why some people steer clear of eating sushi. What a lot of people do not know is that the majority of fish you get in sushi restaurants is extremely fresh, making it safer to consume.

              “Even though we aren’t on the coast, we still are able to get fish really quickly after it has been caught,” Mitcham said.

                    “If people knew more about sushi and developed the type of respect for it that people familiar with it have, they’d probably discover that they actually like it,” Coscia said.

               As consumers become more acquainted with sushi, the demand will certainly become higher. As a result, Japanese sushi chefs looking to go abroad with their skills will have much more success in markets where sushi is only beginning to emerge.

Sushi chefs Beaux Mitcham and Joe Coscia discuss
the art of sushi at In the Raw in Norman, Okla., on 
Thursday, April 12, 2012.