A Call from an Unknown Number Hello everyone! This is Sushi Hatake, a private sushi chef based in Tokyo. This happened at the end of last year. One morning, I got a call from an unknown number. It was a woman from a catering company. “We have an event the day after tomorrow, but we’re … Read more

A Monster from Kesennuma Hello everyone! This is Sushi Hatake. On December 19th, 2025, a 2.26kg conger eel — over 1 meter long — arrived from Kesennuma. Even for someone like me who handles anago daily, I did a double-take. Compared to a regular conger eel, this thing looked like a different species altogether. Is … Read more

Hello everyone! This is Sushi Hatake. Today, I want to share something it took me a year and a half to figure out — how to actually use a knife. At First, I Only Watched My Hands When I started filleting fish as a sushi chef, all I focused on was my hand movements. I’d … Read more

Hello everyone! This is Sushi Hatake. Today, I’d like to share something personal with you. “You Never Stick With Anything” “You never stick with anything. You always quit. You have no grit.” These are words I heard from friends back home for years. Sometimes said to my face. And every time, I’d think, “Yeah, they’re … Read more

Hello everyone, this is Sushi Hatake! Today, I’d like to write for those of you who host home parties and gatherings at your place. Always Stuck With the Same Two Choices? When you invite friends or family over for a party at home, the food options usually come down to two choices: 1. Cook it … Read more

Sharpening My Knives, Closing Out 2025 | A Sushi Chef’s Trusted Companions Hello everyone. This is Sushi Hatake. I’ve just finished sharpening my knives for the year. With that, 2025 has come to a close for me. These three knives in the photo are my trusted companions—extensions of my hands that help me every day. … Read more

Hello everyone, this is Sushi Hatake! Today, I’d like to share some thoughts on a topic that many event organizers struggle with: food for corporate gatherings. “Don’t Want to Fail” — The Organizer’s Dilemma When you’re put in charge of organizing a company party or networking event, the fear of failure often takes over. You … Read more

Hello everyone, this is Sushi Hatake! Today is December 31st, 2025 — the last day of the year. Thanks to the support of so many people, I’ve had a truly fulfilling year as Sushi Hatake. In this blog post, I’d like to look back on my journey throughout 2025 and share some memories with you … Read more

Hello everyone, this is Sushi Hatake! Today, I’d like to dive a little deeper into the topic of shari (sushi rice). In my previous articles, I wrote about the problem of rice sticking to your hands: Solving a Sushi Chef’s Struggle: My Battle with Sticky Sushi Rice Summer is the Enemy of Sushi Chefs!? This … Read more

Hello everyone! This is Sushi Hatake. The other day, I went back to my hometown in Gifu Prefecture, and my mother showed me a cardboard box full of ginkgo nuts. “I picked these up. I’m going to sell them at the morning market.” …Mom, you’re way too resourceful. The bags had handwritten labels like “200g” … Read more