We hear that a lot of Japanese chefs around the world have never trained in Japan but learned sushi-making skills on their own. You can acquaint yourself with the skills and knowledge by self-study to some extent, but it is not ideal if you want to reach a higher level.
When Kelly, a professional sushi chef living in the U.S., found our course, she made a big decision for her career. She signed up for our Sushi Masterclass -Foundation- Course with a clear goal in mind, succeeded in brushing up her skills, and strengthened her confidence as a sushi chef. Let’s hear how she stepped up during the course to achieve her goal.
Meet Kelly from Colombia
First, how did your sushi chef career come about?
Since moving to the States in 2015, I have worked at hotels and restaurants. When I started a job at a sushi bar, my career as a sushi chef began. Although the restaurant only offered rolls, the idea of pursuing the career of a sushi chef grew little by little during that time.
I started working for another restaurant in a hotel about half a year ago. They have rolls but also nigiri, and other seafood dishes, which require more skills and knowledge than I ever had. Under the circumstances, I needed more confidence as a sushi chef, and that is when I found MJCA.
The Struggles
What were the struggles for you when learning the skills by yourself?
The first struggle for me is a lack of confidence. Everyone can agree that skills and knowledge are essential elements to gaining confidence. However, the lack of confidence was always there because I was unfamiliar with other kinds of sushi, like nigiri, but rolls. As my workplace required professional sushi-making skills, I needed to acquire the techniques and sufficient knowledge to gain confidence and call myself a sushi chef.
Secondly, I often hit the wall when my final dishes came out wrong. I thought I was doing as the instruction showed, but something seemed off, or they did not look/taste as great as they should. As the academy says, this happens very often to many students. So, I needed a mentor to point out where I was doing it wrong because I could not figure out why myself.
That is right. Many students came to us with the same concern. What other reasons did you have to join our course?
Luckily, the head chef at my workplace is a great chef with advanced sushi-making skills and knowledge. However, he is too busy to teach me every detail of advanced skills in a very hands-on manner. So I was seeking an opportunity to get practical instructions and mentorship from master chefs.
Another reason I decided to take this course is my current situation at work. The hotel I work for is carrying out a series of promotional events, and our restaurant will be featured as one of the hotel’s promotional focuses. We will invite many journalists and influencers and hold sushi-making workshops for them. It is a big deal for the hotel, and this event will be featured in newspapers, such as The Washington Post. I am lucky enough to be the main person to demonstrate the sushi-making performance in front of these influential guests at the event. This has driven me to take this Masterclass to attain more confidence for what I am going to present to a large audience.
Working with MJCA
What exactly was your biggest takeaway?
Practical instructions and mentorship from a master chef were nothing but beneficial. There is no doubt that they led me to gain more confidence. As I had some experience in making rolls, I knew the basics. But the master chef teacher told me that I could simplify and minimize these roll-making steps and yet achieve an even better result. This allows me to shorten the time for making each roll as well as to look more professional as a sushi chef. I would not have realized that if my instructor had not pointed it out. My speed improved by following the optimal steps he taught me.
I had a great time learning nigiri techniques. Although I had a fair amount of experience in making rolls, it is fair to say that I was almost a beginner at making nigiri. So, this part of the program was pretty fruitful. Even a tiny difference during the nigiri-making process eventually leads to a big difference on a finished plate. So, I tried my best to absorb everything to acquire techniques and improve my skills.
How did you find our course overall?
The online course was thorough and professional. My instructor was extremely open and supportive, and he cleared up all of my doubts with his precise instructions. Their support was extensive too.
For instance, even when the time was running out in a live session, they never rushed anything and extended the session if necessary. My instructor took some time to answer my questions so that I could comprehend his explanation well. I even took some extra live sessions to maximize this precious opportunity to learn from a master chef instructor. Overall, I am thrilled with the outcomes. I appreciate every minute I spent on the course and am so grateful for the program and the team.
Now that I have completed the foundation course, I am keen on taking other courses, such as Sushi Masterclass -Advanced- Course, Wagyu Course, and Sashimi Course. I am sure they will serve me to a large extent to discover new dimensions and refine my skills in Japanese cuisine.
Try It Yourself
MJCA’s certificate courses, like Sushi Masterclass -Foundation- Course, make up for your self-study learning. Our feedback sessions with a master chef are not something you can easily find in your daily life. It is worth a try to sign up here for our free trial of personalized feedback from a master chef instructor!
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