In honour of Sushi🍣🍤

a foodie practicing her coding skills.

Sushi (すし, 寿司, 鮨, 鮓, pronounced [sɯɕiꜜor [sɯꜜɕi]) is a Japanese dish of prepared vinegared rice ( 鮨飯, sushi-meshi), usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of ingredients,
such as seafood—often raw—and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice", also referred to as shari ( しゃり), or sumeshi ( 酢飯). ... The creator of modern sushi is believed to be Hanaya Yohei, who invented nigiri-zushi, a type of sushi most known today, in which seafood is placed on hand-pressed vinegared rice, around 1824 in the Edo period (1603–1867). It was the fast food of the chōnin class in the Edo period.
Sushi is traditionally made with medium-grain white rice, though it can be prepared with brown rice or short-grain rice. It is very often prepared with seafood, such as squid, eel, yellowtail, salmon, tuna or imitation crab meat. Many types of sushi are vegetarian. It is often served with pickled ginger (gari), wasabi, and soy sauce. Daikon radish or pickled daikon (takuan) are popular garnishes for the dish.
Sushi is sometimes confused with sashimi, a similar dish in Japanese cuisine that consists of thinly sliced raw fish or occasionally meat.

many think of sushi as raw fish, it actually refers to a dish made of vinegar rice served with various fillings and toppings which includes raw fish. As one of the most loved meals all around the world it’s about time to learn about the history of sushi

History of sushi

1500s

Now that narezushi existed in Japan, the fish and rice evolved to what was known as “namanarezushi” which was no longer about longterm preservation. The fermented rice changed to vinegared rice and the raw fish wrapped inside the rice was consumed partly raw and still fresh. And this time, the rice was also eaten.
Mid-1700s

The mid-1700s introduced the invention of sheet form nori, or seaweed which led to the creation of makizushi which we know as the sushi rolls of today.
1960s

Sushi won the hearts of middle-class America in the 1960s when creations like the California roll and cooked sushi ingredients made sushi appealing and palatable to the West. The sushi roll caught on because chefs had to find a way to keep up with the higher demand. The roll allowed them to create larger quantities of sushi over a shorter period of time.
1980s

As decades passed, sushi continued to gain momentum internationally which resulted in the commercialization and automation of cranking out sushi and sushi rolls. This made sushi widely available at cheaper prices.
Today

Today, sushi is still a fun, affordable meal. In Japan, you can find standing sushi bars in train stations. In the US, you can find sushi packs in everyday supermarkets. At the same time, sushi is also an extravagant splurge meal not only in Japan but also in major cities all over the world

Taste the art of sushi

Izumi: Just like in Japan

With his restaurant Izumi, Ed Balcke taught Antwerpers years ago to enjoy the purity of Japan. He was the first to put products such as crisp blue fin tuna, sea urchin and sake on a menu. The decor has been the same for years: minimalist beauty with lots of wood, a traditional sushi counter and a little Japanese garden with waterfall and koi fish at the back of the establishment. Reserve a spot at the sushi counter so you can see chef Shuichi Ishige at work up close. Ed or one of his daughters Hanna or Fiona will guide you through the menu and their sake selection. Two experienced Japanese chefs willing to trade their homeland for Belgium were sought for the kitchen:

Yoshiki Sasano comes from the Japanese city of Nagoya and brings twenty years of gastronomic experience to Izumi. He heads the hot kitchen, where he is a creative chef who puts his own unique stamp on traditional Japanese dishes. Yoshiki is renowned for his homemade tofu, which amazes diners time and again with its full flavor and silky smooth texture. Shuichi Ishige was born and raised in Tokyo, where he worked as a sushi chef for two decades. When he grips his knife, you become a spectator of an impressive display of focus, technique and precision. Be sure to taste his special preparation of nigiri sushi: as the chef's experienced hand flavors the fish, soy sauce becomes completely unnecessary. Lam Kit Man was born in Antwerp and has roots in Hong Kong. He has strengthened Izumi's kitchen team for six years and gradually mastered the refinement of Japanese cuisine. This flexible chef is the dream support for Yoshiki Sasano and Shuichi Ishige. Come discover for yourself how history and innovation come together in one of the city's most renowned restaurants.

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