Making the grade: the UK’s greatest sushi chefs

In what felt like no time at all – I’d barely had the chance to ambush the waiters circling with California rolls more than two or three times – the chefs were told to step back from their stations. Of the five chefs competing only two had managed to come near to completing the task, with the other three disqualified from the round. No doubt rubbing salt in their wounds a little, one of the judges pointed out that it was expected of sushi chefs in Japan to achieve this in half the time.

The next challenge was something rather exciting: creative sushi. Unlike the Edomae sushi round, which was a test of their speed and accuracy, the emphasis here was on imagination and skill with a full hour to complete the challenge.

The creative sushi round allowed chefs to bring their own ingredients, allowing a fascinating insight into just how personal the practice of sushi making really is. Some chefs produced stacks of tiny boxes filled with powders and pastes, some had flavoured their mayonnaise with yuzu and ginger and one chef was using sheets of colourful soybean paste in place of traditional nori. ‘It’s becoming very popular,’ explained his colleague, watching nervously in the audience. ‘We’ve found that many people like sushi but aren’t as keen on the taste of seaweed. This provides an alternative that looks great too!’

Particularly striking was the work of Tai Po Wong, executive sushi chef of Sushisamba, London. While many of the other competitors opted for a more classic presentation style, Tai Po’s contemporary plating felt more reminiscent of the modern European style made famous by such chefs as Massimo Bottura, with vibrant splatters, bold colours and the full expanse of plate used.

This, to me, represents precisely what Japanese culture is all about. My experience of Japan, albeit brief, demonstrated that it is in many ways a paradoxical culture, both rooted in tradition and relentlessly modern innovations. It’s a place where high speed trains whizz past thousand year old temples, with ramen shops and robot restaurants on the same street. To see these chefs blending traditional techniques with contemporary sensibilities and style was exciting and inspirational; this was performance art, scientific display and culinary wizardry all in one go.

The winner of the UK competition was Xia Jia Tian from Kouzu, London. The final will take place in Tokyo, Japan in November where an overall winner will be crowned sushi champion.