sushi course for beginners

Is sushi expensive in Japan?

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher

I have been coming to Japan since 2004. Over the years, I have eaten a lot of sushi. It ranges from everyday sushi to sushi served at Michelin restaurants.

In my eyes, sushi is not expensive in Japan.
Here I look at the quality you get for your money. Whether you buy everyday sushi or gourmet sushi in Japan, it is cheap compared to sushi restaurants in Europe.

There are several reasons for this.
In Japan, only 8% is paid in tax on restaurant invoices and take-away food. That in itself is a pretty big saving. It can be felt especially if you often go out and eat.

The competition among restaurants is very fierce.
As in Europe, restaurateurs want to have filled restaurants all week opening days. It is also important that the food is of a high quality and that guests are happy. There are also many restaurants that maintain a price level where their customers can afford to come and eat.

At the Sushi course for beginners, you learn step by step how to make sushi with the most in-demand ingredients in Europe.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

How many styles are there in Japanese sushi?

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher
In Japan there are several different sushi styles several more than in Denmark.
The range between lower quality sushi and very high quality sushi is very large.

At the very top you will find sushi restaurants that are so exclusive that they are too good to be in the Michelin guide. Then you will find exclusive sushi restaurants, which have been given a place in the Michelin guide.

Then you will find 5 different quality levels of sushi restaurants.
In general, the level for every type is very high, yes even the lowest level will be high compared to Europe.

Sushi in Denmark which is considered exclusive gourmet sushi is everyday sushi in Japan. This is because sushi has its origins in Japan, there are many sushi restaurants and the competition between the restaurants is fierce.

In the Sushi course for beginners, you learn step by step to apply the techniques used by Japanese gourmet sushi chefs.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Can all types of vegetables be used for sushi?

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Sushi chef & sake sommelier Zoë Escher
Not all types of vegetables can be used for sushi.
A vegetable like eggplant is not suitable for sushi at all. There are several reasons why

If you cut an eggplant into slices, then it is not firm in consistency. And once it is cooked on a pan or in the oven, it is very soft and falls apart easily.

Eggplant is also a vegetable that in itself does not have much flavor. It requires the use of some other ingredients that can provide an extra flavor dimension.

Onions are also not a raw material that is optimal to use for sushi.
No matter what type of onion is used, onions have a rather strong taste. Raw onions can also bother the stomach and, not everyone wants to smell of onions the rest of the evening.

At Sushi course for beginners, you learn step by step, to prepare and slice ingredients and make tasty sushi according to the Danish Food Administration’s rules.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Which chopsticks are best suited for sushi?

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It depends on how good you are at using chopsticks. If you are as experienced as the Japanese in Tokyo, then you can use chopsticks that are made in different materials. Lately I have been seeing chopsticks in steel.

The Japanese would never make chopsticks out of steel. They are too slippery to hold in the hand, difficult to grasp the food and they are difficult to eat with. Also, steel is not a material found in nature.

In Japan, the preferred material for chopsticks is wood. However, there are many different types of wood used for chopsticks. In Japan, the design of chopsticks plays a big role. They should be easy to hold between the fingers, easy to eat with and the design should be Japanese.

It is easy to see on chopsticks if they are easy to use. They are made in a design that makes them comfortable to hold in the hand. The outer part of the chopsticks will have a slightly rough surface like sandpaper. It makes it easy to hold on to the food.

The Japanese families like that chopsticks are made in many different designs and quality, so there is little to choose from.

Read about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Do all restaurants in Japan use the real Japanese wasabi?

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I have been traveling to Japan since 2004 to broaden my horizons and, learning new things from my Japanese teacher. Under normal circumstances, I travel to the Japan every year and on my many trips, I have had many gastronomic experiences ranging from everyday sushi to 2 star Michelin restaurants.

Real wasabi is widespread in Japan. However, not all restaurants use the real wasabi, even in Japan. Usually only Michelin sushi restaurants use the real wasabi.

I have tasted the real wasabi several times in Japan and, I cannot taste the difference. The strong taste disappears a little faster when it comes to the real wasabi.

Wasabi is a horseradish that grows in Japan. It has difficulty growing outside of Japan and therefore artificial wasabi is used. In Denmark, artificial wasabi is widespread it is only a few restaurants that import wasabi from abroad.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

What is the Japanese view of soy sauce?

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White soya sauce plate with sushi
The Japanese have a slightly different view of soy sauce.
In Japan, soy sauce is considered a spice, it is a way to season the dish. In Japan, there are as many different kinds of soy sauce, just as many as cheese in a Danish supermarket.

Not only that. It is quite common in traditional Japanese cuisine to use different types of soy sauces in one dish. This is because soy sauce are produced and matured in different ways and that gives each soy sauce an unique flavour.

It does matter which soy sauce is used for sushi or for traditional Japanese noodle soup. These are 2 very different dishes, where it is important to choose a soy sauce which gives the dish an extra spice without compromising the good taste.

In the Sushi course for beginners, you will learn which soy sauce is best suited for sushi.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

What to do during the autumn holidays – sushi?

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Just around the corner, autumn and the autumn holidays await.

Time for coziness and togetherness.

Some people go for walks in the woods collecting mushrooms, others bake a classic apple pie or simmering food.

The autumn holidays are a time of presence and togetherness, so why not challenge yourself that the whole family will enjoy?

I’m talking about the Sushi course for beginners, of course. A course where you learn step by step how to make sushi rolls, which are perfect for private dinners.

It does matter what ingredients are used for sushi. In the course you will get to know the Japanese ingredients that Japanese sushi chefs use. You should preferably have full value for money when you shop into your Asian business.

In the course you will learn about does and don’t when it comes to buying and handling fish and other fresh ingredients for sushi.

You can’t miss the Japanese cutting techniques. There is a reason why fish cut with Japanese techniques melts on your tongue and sends you into the sky. Yes, sushi made with Japanese techniques tastes enchanting.

Read about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Sushi courses are still held in small classes

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In the last 1½ years I have held many small open sushi courses with approx. 9 participants, and I will continue to do so. Even if the restrictions are lifted.

I do this because I found the perfect setting for my courses.

Sushi course is a course where several different ingredients are used at once, it requires more table space.
Sushi is also an eating that requires you to have room to move, ie. you can move your arms freely when cooking.

The advantage of the small teams is clearly that Zoë has more time for the individual participants and, the many good questions that arise during the course.

I can see that the attendants are enjoying that there is plenty of space. They relax and can focus on acquiring the skills needed to make tasty sushi at home in their own kitchen.

It is not only sushi courses that are run in small groups. This applies to all courses held by Sushi Chef Zoë Escher.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

How long can soy sauce last?

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Soy sauce is fermented soybeans.

In Japan, there are as many different types of soy sauce as there is cheese in a Danish supermarket.
Yep, that’s true.

There are different types of soy sauces for the many styles in Japanese cuisine. For sushi, a specific Japanese soy sauce is used, a soy sauce that is not used for Japanese noodle soups.

Of course, all bottles have a recommended expiration date for when soy sauce expires. Soy sauce is fermented soy beans, which has a very long shelf life. Soy sauce can of course last after the expiration date. You can always taste it if in doubt.

I store soy sauce outside the fridge too even though the bottle is open, I have always done that. So do Japanese sushi restaurants in Tokyo.

In the Sushi course for beginners, I talk more about which soy sauce is best suited for sushi.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Can tuna caught in Europe be used for sushi?

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There are more and more people who have noticed that the tuna has returned to Danish waters.

No one really knows why, but it may have something to do with climate change. The temperature has risen slightly and, of course, it also affects the temperature in the sea.

There are lots of tuna in the world, not all types of tuna are suitable for sushi. Fish is divided into different grades so that the restaurants know what quality they have bought. Only the best quality tuna should be used for sushi.

Tuna are caught and end up in the international fish markets the quality of the tuna assessed by tuna experts, who divide the tuna into quality grades.
In Japan, many sushi restaurants visit their regular tuna supplier in the early morning hours. The tuna is then sold to sushi restaurants and classic restaurants, which usually use the tuna on the same day.

On the Sushi course for beginners, the best quality tuna is used and it is caught in the east.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.