Eating sushi—like making sushi—is all about precision. Hear from a master of the craft: Shingo Akikuni is one of the most respected sushi chefs working in America today. A third-generation chef from Osaka Akikuni honed his craft on the Tokyo and New York restaurant scenes before settling in Miami where he led omakase restaurant Hiden to one of the first Michelin stars in Florida history. In 2023 he opened the eponymous Shingo which earned a Michelin star in its first year of operation.
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 Munchies | 2014-08-25 14:58:48 |  21,253,220 Views |
How to Eat Sushi: You've Been Doing It Wrong
Akikuni is part of a larger sushi movement alongside chefs like Masayoshi Takayama and Daisuke Nakazawa that aims to bring the traditional Japanese sushi experience to the United States and expand the American palate from New York and California rolls to the proud conventions of classic nigiri sashimi and maki rolls. But sushi in Japan is more than just a food — it’s a cultural institution. Akikuni spoke with Chowhound to explain the five key principles of sushi eating so the next time you dine out you’ll know exactly what to do to get the most out of your experience.
Sushi is designed to combine subtle flavors into a single cohesive bite. Many American restaurants serve large sushi rolls that have shied away from this philosophy but high-quality sushi should be bite-sized. “A no-no would be not to eat the entire nigiri in one bite” Shingo Akikuni explains. “It’s bite-sized so you can enjoy the flavors all at once.”
Most bite-sized sushi pieces are best eaten with your fingers. Chopsticks are common for cooked dishes but you can also use them for nigiri and other types of sushi. It comes down to what you’re most comfortable with as Akikuni notes on his restaurant’s website. Although sushi is made with glutinous rice that is sometimes unwashed nigiri shouldn’t be packed too tightly or the grains will mix together into an unclear mush; this means it can sometimes give a little too much under the grips of a pair of chopsticks. You can be more careful when using your fingers which will allow you to get the entire bite into your mouth without the nigiri or temaki falling apart.
