Sushi Confidential: Each one teach one

Sushi Confidential

“The saga continues.” - ODB

New guy coming to sushi bar. His name is Aaron, he looks like Levi Ackerman, and has huge little-brother energy. It’s surreal for me because he’s 17 and I say little-brother energy, but I’m old enough to be his dad. I’m not his primary teacher but I spend a lot of time teaching him.

This is a new experience for me. The wonderful guy who replaced me, I taught very little. The wonderful gal who I replaced taught me very little. Misaki and Kensan taught me, and it was really Misaki who drilled the mentality/mechanics. I love this man for that and he’s also a total schmuck for now living in my brain until it all goes to mush at 75 and I can do nothing about it.

I find myself doing the same things, but in the same way he did.

Aaron was getting down on himself that his cuts on rolls were so bad and uneven. I reassured him, trying to build confidence, then I held up my knife that he used which was not wiped clean with disinfectant cloth.

“I’m more upset about this (knife) than this (roll)." - looking him dead in the eyes.

It’s this muscle memory, second nature, manic relentless OCD compulsion for procedure that is part of making great sushi. I can teach you to do it. Still figuring out how to drill this mentality into the kid.

He’s actually my favorite of the young guys of this current crew. Only one is still there from my OG crew. Aaron is a good kid but was so hard on himself. I’ll actually take that over being arrogant. But how good can you be at a thing after three hours? He wanted perfection. Sorry Bub, only one Mozart.

This would also be the first time I'm responsible for someone other than myself. Two other guys down the line, I know what they can do and how well they can do it. All the while, I pick up the slack. So it's not 33% three ways, more like 70-20-10.

It feel good. More and more I am becoming the "chef" I once was. Faster, more efficient, better touch. Sushi imitating life, because I do feel that way in my life.

As Poe (the b-boy, not Edgar) always said, "each one teach one".

I invite you to be both sides of that coin if you haven't been in a while.

E

#ARTiculate