What’s in that Box?
No matter what I’m doing- working, teaching, making a sushi demonstration- people always want to know the same thing.
They point to my well-worn black box that looks very much like a clarinet case and ask, “What’s in that box?”
That box is my knife and tool case. It houses the livelihood of my sushi life and I take it with me almost everywhere I go. Here’s a peek inside:
Utility knives – These two purple handles knives are my stainless steel utility knives. I use them for general purposes when I’m preparing my ingredients for sushi making. I often use the larger for cutting sushi rolls during service to save my sashimi knife from dulling down on the plastic cutting board. It also serves as a “lender”. In kitchen culture, it is very impolite to touch another chef’s knife without asking. For those briefly away from their stations or those without a knife of their own, I’ll gladly allow them to use one of my utility knives.
Yanagi –In cutting fish for sushi or sashimi, it is not permissible to cut a piece of fish using more than one stroke or using a sawing motion. The length of this blade has more cutting edge than the standard chef’s knife. The entirety of its thin blade is meant to glide gracefully in one stroke from the heel to the very tip of the knife. This knife is usually a sushi chef’s pride and joy.
Deba- This cleaver has a thick blade, a dense body and the ability to hold to a super sharp edge. It can perform double duties as a heavy duty knife to chop off fish heads, chicken heads, etc in one swift move as well delicately removing tough fish scales and making precise incisions in whole fish. This knife is primarily used to transform whole fish into manageable pieces.
Usuba- People are often surprised that this is a vegetable knife as it is relatively large. But its flat blade performs a function that most consider quite a feat- katsuramuki or the technique of cutting cylindrical vegetables such as daikon radish, carrots and cucumbers into paper-thin sheets. I often use mine in lieu of a vegetable peeler.
Mori Bashi -These metal tipped chopsticks have a sharp point. They are used for tiny finishing details such as placing tiny amounts of shredded daikon radish or thinly sliced scallions on top of nigiri. They also assist in placing neatly sliced pieces of sashimi artfully on the serving platter.
Fish Scaler – I love crispy baked salmon skin so it’s no wonder I love this fish scaler! The wooden handle is easy to grip and the shape helps to maintain a comfortable wrist angle when there is lots of salmon skin to be de-scaled.
Bone Picker- This is essential for removing bones both small and large from fish. The slight points on this tool can reach even the most elusive of bones lurking in a fillet of fish.
Makisu -I try to always keep one of these in my knife case. You never know when you’ll need an extra!
Nail clippers/nail brush- These help keep my fingernails clean and hygienic. It should go without saying that a sushi chef’s fingernails should be visibly clear of dirt. If I’m eating sushi out, I always take a quick survey of the chef’s hands behind the sushi bar while I’m surveying the fish. If the fingernails are dirty, the sushi bar is a no go.
Bandages/Finger Cots -At some point when dealing with a knife, you will get cut. Accidents happen so I stay prepared with bandages and finger cots. It is very difficult and unadvisable to prepare sushi while wearing gloves so these tight fitting single finger “gloves” keep the cut area both dry and safely unexposed to the food.
Comet/Fine Grit Sandpaper – Comet? Sandpaper? These items surprise people the most. Carbon steel knives are what I like to call high maintenance knives. They require constant attention and rust easily. The Comet, made into a thick paste with water and placed onto the fine grit sandpaper quickly rubs away any signs of rust. And occasionally, the sandpaper can be used to additionally polish the blade of the knife.
Whimsies – I’m not sure how or why the tradition started, but people give me toys and trinkets to display while I’m making sushi. One of the best I received was a battery operated pink Hello Kitty sushi bar with pieces of sushi that rotated around her. If the trinkets are small enough and if there is space, they end up with a home in my knife case.
Nostalgia – The rubber band wrapped piece of gauze spent nearly three months in my pockets during sushi school. It was given to us as a guide for the proper sized amount of rice for nigiri. We were instructed to carry it around and play with it regularly to ensure that we developed a feel for the right size ball of rice. Sometimes, we were even graded on whether or not it was in the pocket of our uniform. I personally had it on me at all times and even grasped it for several minutes (or hours if I couldn’t sleep) at night. And before tests, I would pace nervously while squeezing it. The picture is of Kye Kim, Kishimoto and me on graduation day.
Read thoughts on knives for home cooks from me and other Memphis chefs.
Leave a Reply