Having recently come back from Japan and eaten half my body weight in sushi I couldn’t wait to take part in Cocoon’s masterclass to hone and perfect my own sushi making skills.
The friendly participants were taken to the back of the restaurant where a little sushi bar was set up with all the necessary ingredients and items we’d need over the next couple of hours. The lady talking us through everything was a lovely Japanese woman who spoke excellent English and talked engagingly about the interesting history and background of sushi. The sushi ‘master’, also present, was an exceedingly knowledgeable chef with 45 years experience at making sushi. He showed us the intricacies and precision of all stages of sushi making with unbelievable skill and passion and it was truly inspiring to watch. The care he took over the rice preparation was amazing and so involved – after massaging (yes, really), rinsing, soaking and cooking the rice in a special rice cooker, he coated every grain of rice with sushi seasoning while simultaneously not damaging one single grain of rice with the rice paddle.
We made three different types of sushi: a hand roll, an inari (rugby ball) and a maki roll, all of which we got to eat afterwards. Each piece was very fresh and tasty. We also got to eat some Osaka-style sushi which the chef prepared in a rectangular wooden mould, where the fish is on top of the rice and, in this case, seared with a blow torch – delicious.
Although I’d dabbled previously in the art of sushi-making, having been on the course I will definitely approach the whole process in a completely different way now, with a proper understanding of the various elements involved. I picked up some top tips from a true master of his art and I look forward to practising them.
Learn about these fascinating Japanese customs with our team of experts, and on the evening of each event enjoy 25% off your total food bill when you stay for dinner.
Classes are held at least once a month. See the Cocoon website for details.
To book, please email: reservations@cocoon-restaurants.com For a private masterclass for a team or group of friends, please email events@ignite-group.com.