However, Malaysians too have embraced sushi, whether the cheap supermarket variety, or those sold at high-end establishments in the Klang Valley.
In conjunction with International Sushi Day today, FMT met up with one of the most highly regarded sushi chefs currently serving in Malaysia.
On most working days, chef Naoya Kawasaki, 47, heads the kitchen at Sushi Oribe, one of KL’s elite sushi restaurants.
Kawasaki, or Nao-san as colleagues and patrons call him, has nearly three decades of sushi-making under his belt.
Indeed, Kawasaki has been on this culinary journey since he was 18 years old and has worked in Malaysia for eight years.
While he takes his job seriously, he is by no means a serious man; he’s quite chirpy, in fact.
Though he may not have mastered the English language, he is still very much a conversationalist, happy to chat with patrons at any given time.
When FMT met with him during his lunch break, he was eager to share all he knew about the art of making sushi.
According to Kawasaki, his love for cooking stemmed from his upbringing and the most talented cook he has ever known – his mother.
“My mother was a housewife, and whenever anyone ate her food, they left the home happy.
“Her food was good, tasty and it made people happy. That’s what I hope and aim to do with sushi: to make customers very happy,” he said.
Upon graduating from high school, Kawasaki decided to learn all there was to know about making sushi. The journey was long. And one of the first things he had to learn was table service, not cooking.
Kawasaki said it’s much easier to become a professional sushi chef nowadays, compared to the past.
“There has been a strong change of heart about Japanese culture,” he said, adding that long-standing Japanese culinary traditions have gone international for that reason.
Given that one can find sushi almost anywhere in the world nowadays, how can one differentiate between the good stuff and the bad?
“I, as a chef, make my sushi one by one,” said Kawasaki. “The rice must be airy and must easily break apart when you bite into it.
“Bad sushi is too hard. Balance is very important for sushi. You must have rice, wasabi, fish and soy sauce. Making sushi is very easy but very difficult at the same time,” he said, adding that the rice in good sushi is warm; neither too hot, nor too cold.
He also explained the difference between sushi and sashimi, which are sometimes used interchangeably, in error.
“Sashimi is only a cut of fish, no rice. Sushi has rice and fish together.” Though they often appear on the same menu, they are ultimately distinct dishes.
One fact which Kawasaki shared may be surprising to many Malaysians: sushi is traditionally picked up and eaten with one’s hands.
Yes, sushi is actually finger food in Japanese tradition. So, there’s really no need to whip out the chopsticks while enjoying this dish. “Like nasi lemak or banana leaf rice,” Kawasaki mused.
He does note that compared to Japanese diners who are comfortable with purely fresh and raw fish, Malaysians prefer their fish torched a little first.
“But now, many of my Malaysian customers, especially those who have gone to Japan before, are changing their tastes,” he said.
With how respected Japan is among Malaysians, what are the chances of more locals eventually becoming sushi masters themselves?
Kawasaki said that there were already many Malaysians who have proven themselves in the field, and there will likely be more to come.
And apparently, he enjoys working in Malaysia immensely, due to the locals’ acceptance of various culinary cultures.
“Malaysia has a very good culture. Malaysians are very good and kind people.”
Sushi Oribe
Ground Floor Block C-1
Vipod Residences
6, Jalan Kia Peng
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 016-299 4417