Sushi Stage Left
One of the most rewarding parts of being a traveling sushi sensei, is the opportunity to introduce children to sushi. Unlike most adults, children are uninhibited and really open themselves to the experience. I often leave each experience feeling as though I have learned just as much I have taught.
I recently had the opportunity to present a sushi workshop for a group attending a summer theater camp at Hattiloo Theatre in Memphis, TN. Summer theater camps have a special place in my heart. As a youngster, I got to attend theater camp and recall fondly the friends and new experiences the camps presented. Because of my own experiences with summer camp, I wanted to ensure that I presented my workshop in a way that would be quite memorable for those involved. (I also wanted to make sure that as an adult I wouldn’t become “that boring teacher” that presented fascinating subjects in a boring way.) Rather than presenting my usual spiel on sushi, showing off my knives, offering a sample of kappa maki and giving the participants a chance to ask everything they ever wanted to know about sushi, I opted to kick it up a notch. Why not let them make their own sushi since the workshop was scheduled to end right around lunch.
On the day of the workshop, I arrived and set up my table and supplies on the stage of the theater. Mrs. Bandele introduced me to the group and all became quiet as they waited for me to begin.
I guess being on stage again provoked that insatiable itch that lies in the heart of any true thespian. I paused for dramatic effect, took in a deep breath and glanced around before bowing. “Good morning. My name is Marisa. It’s nice to meet you. What is your name?” (All of which I uttered in my best Japanese.)
Everyone instantly perked up. And over the course of the next hour and a half, we discussed a brief history of sushi, learned some fun and useful Japanese words, discovered how to maneuver chopsticks, shared our experiences of eating sushi for the first time, and made California futo maki rolls.
After everyone made their own rolls, they waited as patiently as possible for me to cut the rolls into pieces. We all posed for a group photo showcasing our creations before everyone anxiously tried their sushi. They were all good sports and those that weren’t so sure about eating sushi still tried at least one piece. Anxious friends were eager to finish any unwanted pieces.
In the end, I thanked the group and asked if they could do one more favor for me – would they be willing to try just one more piece of a special sushi I had prepared earlier? After agreeing yes, I brought out a box of Candied California Rolls made from crisp rice cereal, licorice and gummy candies. Upon Mrs. Bandele’s prompting, the group gave a big collective thank you. A few referred back to their handouts to practice their newfound Japanese vocabulary and told me “Arrigato”(thank you) and “Oishii” (delicious). It was truly an amazing experience for me and I can only hope that they enjoyed it as much as I did.
Photos by Stacy Sullivan
Looks like it was fun!!!
Awesome!