MJCA has had the pleasure of welcoming many Japanese cuisine enthusiasts over the years since its foundation. Both hobby cooks and professional chefs have completed MJCA’s sushi masterclass courses to improve their culinary skills and knowledge.
Pennias, an experienced sushi chef originally from Zimbabwe but currently working in South Africa, was one of them. Although he has been in the industry for many years, he decided to join us to work on his weakness and refine his culinary skills.
This time, he was happy to tell us about his experience with MJCA and its Sushi Masterclass – Advanced- course, and how he got a job as a sushi chef at the world-renowned restaurant that he dreamt of.
Meet Pennias from Zimbabwe, Working in South Africa
What made you decide to become a professional sushi chef?
I felt it was necessary to have special skills to get a well-paying job in South Africa. And becoming a sushi chef was the one for me because I have always had a love and passion for Japanese cuisine.
Going above and beyond your manager’s requests is a big deal in the country. So, I spent a lot of time honing my sushi-making skills to ensure I have what it takes to be a professional sushi chef.
How did you acquaint yourself with sushi-making skills?
I have been a sushi chef for over a decade, but it all started when I learned this prestigious skill from a friend and mentor. Since then, I have tried to perfect my craft skills through continuous training, with a dedication to Japanese cuisine.
The Struggles
What were the major struggles before you joined MJCA?
Even though I had already been in this industry for a long time, I still wanted to improve my skills. I felt that I needed to push myself more to keep up with the other highly skilled chefs in the industry. I know the best way would be to go to Japan and train under master chefs there, but my work situation did not allow me to do so.
Also, this desire got even stronger when I was invited to the kitchen at a high-end Japanese restaurant for my job interview. I still remember how shocking it was to witness their distinguished dishes there. That made me realize that I had to keep up with myself to be on par with great chefs in the industry. I was searching for where to improve my skill set, and that is when I found MJCA. I was certain that they would help me do what I was seeking.
Working with MJCA
What were the outcomes of the course?
The biggest outcome is to get a new job at the high-end restaurant in Cape Town that I dreamed of.
MJCA’s program definitely contributed to helping me make this dream come true. When I completed the self-study plan of the Foundation course, the Advanced course was naturally the next step for me. This time, I signed up for a certificate course, which was definitely the best choice, considering what is included in the curriculum, such as 1-on-1 online sessions with a master chef.
Being a sushi chef for a long time, I was confident that I was a trained chef with a lot of knowledge. Then, I hit the wall when I realized there were many more skilled chefs out there, and that led me to pursue a more advanced level in this culinary world.
MJCA helped me achieve that goal with their original learning method. Through their curriculum, including live sessions with a master chef and assignments per session, I recognized the areas that I can improve, which I could change and elevate by practicing since then.
Your progress was indeed paramount! What exactly did you learn during the course?
The 8-step sushi-making hand motion, koba cutting (a specific cutting technique to create a little edge on sliced fish pieces), sushi-rolling skills, recipes, knife sharpening techniques, plating, etc., if I speak for both the Foundation and Advanced courses. On top of that, it gave me a deeper understanding of how to store and defrost frozen tuna and other fish without deteriorating the quality. The program enriched my creativity and refined my hand-eye coordination as well.
The difference between how I made sushi before and how I do now is clear, and my sushi speaks for itself. There are small mistakes I used to make, and I did not even know they were mistakes. All thanks to MJCA, I took a massive step as a professional sushi chef.
What else has happened since you completed the course?
The whole experience gave me more confidence, and I needed it very much at that stage of my career.
Another attractive benefit is that you will receive a certificate upon completion of the course. Indeed, the certificate worked in my favor when I later sent my application for a sushi chef position at a high-end restaurant. I was very happy that I got accepted by the restaurant and it is real proof that my skill got really elevated through these sushi masterclass courses.
The academy was willing to write me a recommendation letter so my job-hunting process would go as successfully as possible.
The interactions with skilled chefs from those top restaurants made my job-hunting process a lot more meaningful and motivating. They inspired me to achieve a higher level, and now, I find myself working for one of the restaurants I had always dreamed of being part of.
Try It Yourself
Our Sushi Masterclass -Advanced- Course is designed to help professional chefs master Japanese cooking skills at a higher level. It covers several advanced cooking methods, such as searing and dry aging, along with more fish variations, namely horse mackerel, sardine, snapper, shrimps, etc.
Does this sound like what you are after? Please leave us a message for trials and a free consultation with our staff. We are always one message away!
