Musings of a Drunken Monk: Individual Entry Archive

A few interesting tidbits about the sushi that everyone loves to eat because they think they're cultured:

While I was in Japan, I was told in what I think was a half-joking manner that the best people to make sushi are old men. They have dry and cold hands, which enables them to pat the rice together in the perfect way, and also preserves the fish in its freshest state. Thinking back on it, I do recall that most sushi makers at "regular" (read: not 回転寿司 kaitenzushi, the conveyor belt kind) sushi places were gentlemen on the elderly side.

Just the other day I heard from a coworker that women are a poor choice for sushi makers; they have warm, moist hands, which apparently can cause problems patting the rice and also can spoil the fish. Of course, this is why you don't see many, if any, female sushi makers. I'm not sure how much I believe that a pair of warm hands can "ruin" the raw fish in the very short time it takes to make a single piece of nigiri sushi, but it is true that the female headcount of sushi makers in Japan is very low.

Food for thought.