Do Japanese sushi chefs use different types of fish than sushi restaurants in Europe?

Japanese sushi chefs use many different types of fish than European sushi restaurants. Fish is a very popular raw material in Japanese cuisine. The Japanese learn to enjoy fish from when they are small. The Japanese eat as much fish as we eat meat in Europe.

The selection of fresh fish suitable for sushi is bigger in Japan than in Europe. This also means that it is very normal for sushi restaurants in Japan to have 15-20 different fish on the menu.

Some of the fish which is on a Japanese menu such as salmon, tuna and squid. The Japanese menu also contains local fish that can only be caught in local sea in Japan

Read more about the Sushi course for beginners

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

Which sushi should I choose the first time?

Sushi Chef & Sake Sommelier

I still remember it vividly, the year was 1994, and I was sitting in front of sushi for the very first time.
Back then, sushi was something completely new and exotic, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

The taste, the texture and especially the idea of eating seaweed, it was all a challenge.
Sushi isn’t prepared like other dishes, and that first bite was truly different. Soft, fresh, but unfamiliar.

I started out cautiously:

  • The small rolls with cucumber or salmon felt safe, because I already knew the ingredients.
  • And when I wanted to avoid seaweed entirely, I went for a salmon nigiri, just rice and salmon. Simple and clean.

It turned out to be a great experience, and I quickly discovered that sushi wasn’t nearly as “scary” as I had first imagined.

If you’re also new to the world of sushi, I highly recommend starting slow with ingredients you already know.
Once you develop a taste for it, you can gradually explore more adventurous varieties.

And if you want to turn it into a truly special experience, I warmly recommend my beginner’s sushi course.
You’ll work with top-quality ingredients and learn the Japanese techniques that transform simple elements into unforgettable flavors.

Read more about Sushi class 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.