Sushi lovers will delight in this inspirational tale of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He runs the 10-seat Tokyo restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro which is located in an unlikely place for such an acclaimed establishment, a subway station.
Fans and foodies from around the world make reservations months in advance and shell out big bucks for one of the coveted seats to have the meal of their dreams. To do so, they put themselves in Jiro’s trustworthy hand for a dining experience that is choreographed beautifully from beginning to end.
It’s even tougher to get in since that the restaurant has been awarded a three-star Michelin review.
The documentary, directed by David Gelb, tells the story of a life that’s been spent mastering the art of making sushi. It’s hard to believe that even with all the accolades, even at his age, Jiro is still striving for perfection– working meticulously to train his employees to carefully mold the impeccable presentation of each of his creations.
“You have to fall in love with your job,” Jiro says. “You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill.” It’s an inspirational message that cuts across all endeavors, not just the culinary in which Jiro lives his life, only taking a rare day off for holidays when the restaurant is closed.
“Jiro hates holidays. They’re too long for him,” says Yamamoto, a food critic who’s interviewed extensively in the film and who says the restaurant is absolutely the best he has ever eaten in, time and time again.
As you’ll see in the film, it’s a tough road for both of his sons to follow in Jiro’s footsteps. The oldest one, Yoshikazu, has been tapped to run the restaurant after his father retires and has taken over the task of going to the fish market every morning to pick out the absolute best of the catch.
As Yamamoto notes, Yoshikazu may have to be three times as good as his father to live up to his legacy. Jiro’s ghost will always be hanging over him. Instead of exhibiting bitterness towards his aging father, Yoshikazu allows himself to absorb as much knowledge as possible from this master chef. He is preparing himself so that when the time eventually comes, he will be ready.
The other son runs a restaurant in a different location, and thus is slightly out of his father’s shadow.
The relationship amongst the three is complicated, yet loving. Interestingly, the wife and mother is never mentioned.
Gelb spent eight weeks in Tokyo over the course of two years, shooting footage and delving headfirst into Jiro’s world, driven to decipher what makes him run and why he never stops to rest on his reputation.
“What I saw in Jiro was not just his culinary technique – not just his work,” Gelb says. ” I want to show people that sushi is so much more than putting fish on rice. Jiro has created an art form. And his philosophy is to always improve your craft, to always look ahead to the future. That is something that anyone can relate to.”
Based upon his experiences with Jiro, Yamamoto says there are five steps toward becoming a master: taking your work seriously, aspiring to improve, maintaining cleanliness, being a better leader than a collaborator and being passionate about your work.
In addition to embodying all of these qualities, Jiro still mentally prepares himself to consistently find the best ingredients, the best staff and to tirelessly serve the best dishes to his patrons.
As each dish is presented, the cinematography makes you wish you could grab through the screen and indulge in Jiro’s edible art–and that he stays around for a long time.
“Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” unrated, runs 1:21, http://www.magpictures.com/jirodreamsofsushi/
