I’ve attempted sushi making before, but in the past my work has generally left something to be desired. The last time I tried it my rolls wound up looking very crooked. Hopefully, these new tips will help me to be more successful in the future. But even if I never create the perfect sushi roll, I’m still glad that I stopped by to try the samples, watch the process, and learn about the nuances. This was a fun event to be a part of, and I can’t wait to apply my new knowledge in the kitchen.

Attending the Rose Cafe with a sushi making demo opened my eyes to the functionality underlying cooking. Sushi, as far as I was concerned, was good because it tasted good. I, perhaps, had a vague idea that Japan was an island and that fish was probably pretty common, so the dish emerged from fresh fish being available. This cafe demonstrated to me, however, that there was more to sushi than that.

Historically, fish was preserved for long periods of time using fermented rice as packaging. Eventually, technology changed and the fish was able to be preserved without the rice, but people had become used to eating the two together. The fact that this widely popular dish originated out of necessity and practicality boggles me. For all we know, some of the dishes that we make for practicality’s sake today could become widespread, cultural dishes tomorrow.

From the dining hall to Rose residence hall, it was such a cool experience to be able to witness a chef construct sushi rolls in front of you. I always find myself procrastinating online, and I am an especially an avid fan of watching videos on how to make your own “sushi roll”! Even from watching those countless videos, I still had plenty to learn from the chef, such as needing to dip your hands in cold water before touching the rice, which side of the seaweed goes face down on the board, and how far the roll should be on the bamboo board before you start rolling. Above anything, it was an amazing experience just to witness how excited our chef was about his passion in sushi making, and demonstrating that the most important ingredient in every roll was his love and dedication!

My only experience of attempting to learn to make sushi happened when my cousin came back from studying abroad. Since she had studied in Spain, she had mentioned to my aunt that she had missed having sushi during her semester abroad. My aunt, wanting to surprise her, decided that we would all have a sushi-making session. Of course, none of us had ever tried to make sushi before, so what had my aunt thought would be a fun night ended in frustration and hunger.

Fortunately, the sushi demonstration event was not a repeat of my previous experience. Instead, I was able to see how sushi is actually supposed to be made, by someone who had made a living making sushi. I also learned a few tips about how to approach making sushi, if it ever does come up. If there was a need for another reason to change my perception on me making sushi myself, it was that we were able to sample the sushi that was made for the presentations.

Sushi is my absolute favorite food, so you can probably imagine my reaction when I realized the Rose House Dinner was Japanese themed and I could eat sushi for dinner. After loading up on rolls during House Dinner, I headed to the Rose Cafe where I…yep, you guessed right, ate even more sushi. I’ve made sushi many times before but watching a YouTube video or winging it with my sister was definitely a different experience than learning from Chef Jeremy, who went to culinary school and made sushi for a living. I learned that the most important component of sushi is rice, which was way different from my expectations. I thought having fresh fish and good ingredients was most important because they added flavor to rolls. Chef Jeremy told us rice is arguably more important because it is the foundation for all sushi; it creates a bed for ingredients to lie on, then serves as the glue to stick nori together. I appreciate Rose for inviting Chef Jeremy to teach us an unexpected but delicious lesson.

Now I understand why two rolls can cost as much as a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, there’s a lot of care and attention put into making sushi. The preparation with the rice, adding vinegar, letting the rice sit, takes time and effort just for the first step! It makes you appreciate a bite even more! I’ve had my share of sushi from mall food courts to dedicated restaurants to buffets to dining halls, so after learning about the process of making these delicious treats I want to make them myself and appreciate the effort and work out in to make a roll.

Being able to say that I learned how to roll sushi properly is something that many people cannot be able to say. Having watched both chefs describe the processes of rolling sushi and the methods and techniques that would be best for rolling these rolls were extremely interactive in fun. I do wish that I had the opportunity to do so as well but I think the real highlight of the night was being able to taste the sushi that the chefs had made for us right after he made them. The techniques and the ingredients that he used to ensure that the roll would be done properly so it could hold and withstand dipping was something that I never thought of to be important but now I can definitely say it is. I hope that next time, if we have this demonstration again, we would be able to partake in the rolling as well.

I never think about how my Sushi is formed, but there is a very complicated process that occurs between the ingredients and what goes into my mouth. I originally signed up because the post said free food, and who am I to pass that up? I learned a lot that I had never even thought of before. The rice is one of the most important parts of the recipe, it must be steamed a certain amount of time and made a certain way so that it is sticky and perfect for forming sushi rolls. This event was fun, and next time I hope we can all have a go at rolling our own sushi roll.

The sushi demonstration was very informative. I knew that there were rules and regulations to how the food is consumed, but I didn’t come to this event expecting to learn so much. Chef Jeremy rolled three different types of sushi while explaining how the food is properly constructed so that it doesn’t fall apart. I wasn’t aware of all the components of what makes quality sushi. The rice, fish, seaweed, etc. have to be of premium quality in order for the sushi to even stay together. No wonder it’s so expensive. I also learned about how the placement of the vegetables and fish plays a role in sushi rolling, and that the specific shape is molded. I appreciate Chef Jeremy’s knowledge and willingness to educate us about all the work that goes into this craft. This was an unique event and I came out of it knowing so much more about the rolls I love eating.

I recently attended a sushi-making demo event for Rose Cafe. It was really interesting to learn about the different types of sushi that is made by Cornell, as well as the brief history behind sushi. In the future, I really hope to use what I learned to make sushi in the future.

As someone who loves sushi, when I saw that Rose was having a sushi demonstration, I knew that I wanted to attend. The event was quite informative, and it finally explained why Cornell Dining’s sushi never seemed to taste quite right. Apparently the most important part of making sushi is getting the rice right, which is something that is especially hard to do in bulk. I also learned that traditional sushi rolls have the rice on the inside, but “American” sushi is often made with the rice on the outside. I found this fact to be intriguing, because I never really paid much attention to which side the rice was on until that talk. Now I have found myself noting whether the sushi I am eating is made the traditional way or the American way. I have discovered that I do eat both, but–most likely due to the general preference in the United States–most was made the American way.

I’ve eaten sushi my entire life, and never wondered about the history and traditions behind it were. In fact, I didn’t even realize there were types of sushi with rice on the outside and types with seaweed on the outside (I generally eat my sushi before I have a chance to look at it thoroughly). Rolling sushi looked really fun, and the chef also said it was affordable, so I hope I can try it myself sometime next year. I’m really sad that I didn’t get to roll my own at the event, but at least I got to eat a lot of yummy sushi. I really appreciate that there was a lot of vegetarian sushi!

I didn’t expect to learn that much history in this event, so I found it really cool to learn about the origins of sushi and how the practice of fermenting fish with rice as a way of preservation began and evolved into a style of food that became very different from its origins. Though I have made sushi before, it was interesting learning about the different tricks that the chef used to stop the rice from sticking to his hand and I liked seeing the different ways he cut the roll to make different arrangements on plates. I was really inspired to make sushi again for myself since I was reminded again of how easy it was and how customizable everything is. I also liked that the chef had a lot of respect for the tradition behind sushi making, so although he made some Western style rolls, he also showed us more traditional rolls. I also got to eat a lot of sushi, so that’s always a plus!

I really enjoyed this demonstration since I got to learn more about the history of sushi and its traditional form, instead of the way we are used to recognizing it in the U.S. I thought it was interesting how it was originally made in Southeast Asia as a way to control the putrefaction of the fish. However, this invention has evolved to what we now recognize as sushi. The chef did a really good job explaining the tools and steps to make sushi that it does not feel so foreign to me now. After, attending this demonstration I think it would be a good research project to analyze the evolution of dishes and how they change when they are introduced to a new society, as the way sushi and Mexican food have evolved outside of their original context.

Last week Wednesday, I attended a Rose Café event on Sushi! We learned about everything for sushi from its history, etiquette for properly eating sushi, proper way of making sushi, and different types of sushi. Although I love sushi and ate a lot, I didn’t really know how sushi is actually made and what sushi meant. This event was even more exciting because we were learning about three different roles that we had during the house dinner from a professional chef. I think that we should have more cooking/food-related activities in the future. In addition, I wish students also had a chance to make sushi roles after learning from the chef. Overall, this event was unique and different from other ROse Café events.

Last week I was able to attend the sushi event. This event was my favorite of the semester!  I loved learning about the history of sushi. I found the original use of vinegar rice to preserve the fish an amazing fact. The chef was very knowledgeable on the subject and provided many facts about sushi I had never heard of until then. Furthermore, I thought the demonstration was fantastic and really admired the respect that the chef had with the tradition and making of sushi. I of course loved the food (it was perhaps the best part!). This event has inspired to try and make sushi at home s well as to be more aware of my sushi eating etiquette. I would love a repeat of this event. It was one of the best!

This past week, I had the pleasure of seeing two Cornell chefs discuss sushi preparation, making, and eating. As someone who has only (with one wonderful exception) had sushi at a restaurant, hearing more about the actual culinary tradition behind the dish was fascinating. I was especially surprised at the American influence upon what I have always considered a foreign dish, however with names such as California Roll I suppose I should have noticed it earlier. Additionally, I never knew that sushi originated from a traditional manner of preserving raw fish in rice vinegar. In all, the presentation was a fascinating (and tasty) experience, and I am very glad I went.

This past Wednesday, there was a fun enjoyable Rose Cafe in which a chef from 104 West came to teach us about the history of sushi, and he also showed us how to roll sushi correctly. He started off by telling us a little about himself which was entertaining, as he had lived all over the US and had a lot of experience in culinary, having lived and learned in places like Hawaii, California, and of course, New York. He taught us about the history of sushi itself, telling us that traditionally, sushi does not have rice on the outside of the roll, rather the rice is on the inside with the seaweed working as the outer layer. He began to roll the sushi, saying it was better for the rice if one’s hands were somewhat damp so that the rice wouldn’t stick. It was interesting how technical it was to roll sushi, and I wish I could’ve tried to roll one myself because it did seem like a fun activity to do. The sushi rolls were delicious, and I enjoyed learning the history behind sushi and the mechanics of how to roll.

I love going to the Rose Cafe at House Professor, Dr. Avery’s apartment. The topics usually evoke a thought provoking discussion amongst the attendees. However, this Rose cafe was different. The head chef from 104 West had come in to teach us how to make Sushi. He is a professionally trained sushi chef, and has worked in several places, including Hawaii and California. I had always thought of Sushi as an extremely difficult to make food. The Chef step-by-step went through the procedures to make Sushi. He explained the how to make the rice (the most important part of sushi) to perfection, and how to make sure the rolls are tucked to perfection. He also showed us the different variations of sushis, and explained the etiquette to eat sushi. Overall, it was an amazing experience, something I would not have learnt if this event had not been set up by Rose House programming. I will definitely try making sushi at home.

This week, I got to watch a demonstration on how to make sushi. Sushi is my favorite food, but I have never tried making it on my own. However, I always assumed that it would be easy to do. Not quite. I never thought about what an art it is to make food, especially sushi. I assumed the most important ingredient was the raw fish, but it’s actually the rice. Not only is sticky rice cooked with a special cooker that steams the rice to make it fluffy, but it is also very difficult to handle when making sushi. You need the correct amount per roll and you need to flatten it out without crushing it. Once that is laid out, you need to place the ingredients carefully onto the rice. Apparently soggy foods like cucumbers and avocado has to be in the back of the roll to preserve the roll’s structure. And rolling it perfectly is an art of itself. This is definitely not an easy food to make. The chef demonstrating the sushi creation told us that it took 600 hours to be a certified sushi chef. It’s incredible how we assume things to be easy, but actually are very complicated.

This past Wednesday the head chef at 104 West came to Rose and performed a sushi rolling tutorial. I learned so much about the history of sushi and all of the different types of rolls and fish. What stuck out to me the most about the presentation is how much Americans truly change classic dishes from other countries. In Japan sushi is typically made with seaweed on the outside and a little bit of rice on the inside and then the fish. In the United States, however, sushi is more commonly made with a lot of rice on the outside, then a thin strip of seaweed, and then the fish. I had absolutely no clue that sushi is traditionally made with seaweed on the outside. This made me think of other “Americanized” versions of foods, such as American “Chinese” food, “Mexican” food, and “Italian” food, which differ drastically from what the people of these countries actually eat. Overall, the tutorial was so interesting and informative and I am so glad I attended.

It was a pleasure learning how to prep and roll sushi while also learning about the history behind the cuisine. I did not know that sushi rice was actually invented in China in order to preserve raw fish for up to a year! The demonstration was easy to understand and highly informative. It was also interesting to learn about how we have “Americanized” sushi by making it with the rice on the outside. I hope to some day try a more traditional roll with the seaweed or “Maki” on the outside.

Though I don’t know if I will be making my own sushi anytime soon, I will definitely think of what I learned in the Rose Cafe the next time I go to a sushi bar. I also really enjoyed getting to eat plenty of California rolls – my favorite kind of sushi.

This week I went to Chef Jeremy’s sushi demo, where he gave us an introduction into making sushi. I found this Rose café to be very interesting, and was more interactive than usual because we got to watch him as he rolled sushi, and then we all had the opportunity to try some at the end. I had unconsciously noticed this before, but Jeremy brought it to my attention that in America the rice is often on the outside of the sushi role, whereas traditionally the rice is on the inside along with the fillings. I find it interesting how America often takes a foreign dish and “Americanizes” it, often for no real reason. Aside from obvious examples, like the invention of the California or Philly role, I am not sure how having the rice on the outside could be considered more American. Overall I found this a really interesting talk/demo and I enjoyed eating Chef Jeremy’s sushi at the end.

Today, Chef Jeremy taught us how to properly roll sushi. Before starting the demonstration, he prefaced it by telling us about his background. He is Canadian, but he moved Hawaii and fell in love with sushi. He went to culinary school to master the art of sushi making and worked at sushi bars in California before coming to Ithaca. He started off by giving a brief history of sushi. It started off with the Chinese, who used vinegar rice to preserve raw fish. The Japanese used this idea to create what is now known as sushi, which directly translates to “vinegar rice.” Throughout the demonstration, he pointed out crucial differences between westernized sushi and traditional sushi like having the rice on the outside. Chef Jeremy was very respectful and culturally sensitive to the Japanese cuisine. He constantly emphasized that perfecting the rice was the most important part of the art and by preparing it incorrectly, you could ruin the integrity of the rice. He brought up that the integrity of the rice is jeopardized when having to mass produce sushi for Cornell dining halls.

I really appreciated Chef Jeremy for being so aware and respectful of the fact that he was making foods of another culture. Recently, a Jewish American opened up a trendy new “healthy” Chinese restaurant called Lucky Lee’s that claimed to be cleaner and healthier than traditional foods. The owner claims that she spent years perfecting this non-GMO, gluten-free, healthy option to eliminate the problems caused by consuming the oils and MSG in traditional Chinese food. She offended many Chinese Americans because she not only made various social media posts claiming that Chinese food is oily and healthy, but also made what she thought were playful puns for decals of her restaurant like “Wok In, Take Out” and “Hi-Lo Mien” (referring to her Lo Mien as having higher quality). The name of the restaurant was taken as offensive because she used possibly the two most possibly stereotypical Chinese associated words to name her restaurant.

Coming to this, I was very afraid of having to sit through a cringey 1.5 hours of cultural insensitivity and appropriation. Thankfully, Chef Jeremy was none of these things. He constantly addressed differences, spoke about how the food was an art form, and how mass producing it for the student population/ having to account for allergens takes away from actual sushi. He was very sweet and even ended the event by saying “I appreciate you all.”

Events like these make me very glad to be a part of Rose Scholar. Last year, I was in the Townhouses and my interactions were limited to really freshman engineers and my TA’s. Since being a Rose Scholar, I’ve met so many people from RA’s, Shiv and Magdala, to professors like Professor Fontaine, to Chefs like Jeremy. I’ve enjoyed my interactions with these people, and I’m very happy I met them. Together, they create this environment on campus and make it functional. If I weren’t in this program, I probably would’ve never taken the time out to acknowledge, meet, or known how to interact with the people who make this campus work.