Learning to Make Sushi with a Japanese Chef​

Chef Tanaka shows me how to spread sushi rice thin on a bamboo mat, wetting my hands to keep it from sticking. I add a strip of fresh tuna and a dab of wasabi, then roll tightly, pressing the mat to shape. My first roll is lopsided, but he laughs and cuts it into pieces. Dipping one in soy sauce, I taste the fresh fish and creamy rice—simple, yet perfect. This isn’t just cooking—it’s learning respect for ingredients, where patience and precision turn basic elements into something extraordinary.​