Today was a final day. Jennifer did not show up, but everyone – Gail, Berta, Mauro, Wanda, Margie, Kasinee, Amanda, Amy, Pitipon, Mat, Leeana and Travis – fully enjoyed the last day of the venture. The topic of the day was Nigirizushi and Sashimi. We were fortunate to have a very special guest sushi chef, Masato Shimizu (15 East), with us today! Chef Masato first demonstrated how to scale (very unique technique) and fillet a fluke. Every students were sent back to each station and asked to challenge the scaling and filleting tasks. Under Chef Masato and my supervion everyone worked focused and diligently, and produced pretty good result even though none of them tried these techniques before. Hooray! Chef Masato then showed the students how to cut the filleted fluke into sashimi slices and make nigirizushi. After chef’s departure the students made sashimi platter with fluke, salmon, yellowtail and tai sea bream. Afternoon was spent to fillet one more fish, mackerel, for salt and vinegar cure. We then moved to nigirizushi rice ball practice and enjoyed one’s own nigirizushi…………..long and tired week but very happy and delicious week for everyone. Thanks for joining me the course.
Chef Masato filleting tai sea bream
Chef Masato scaling fluke
Chef Masato close-up scaling
Travis filleting
Amanda after filleting - look at my clean bone
Amy's succesful fillet
Chef Masato overseeing the class
Leeana seriously working
Mat Hey good skill
Gail tasting her own sashimi platter
Who's sashimi platter?
Sushi rice ball making Margie and Gail
The First Graduate of Essentials of Japanese Cuisine