Jobs in the Food Industry You’ve Never Heard Of

Jobs in the Food Industry You’ve Never Heard Of

The food industry has its standard cornerstone jobs — chef, waiter, baker, bartender and so on. You’ll see no end of job listings of this nature, but the jobs we’re highlighting today are much more uncommon. Check out these unusual food industry positions to see if it might be time for a career change!

 Professional Egg Peeler

Egg peeling is a task that nearly every restaurant has to deal with, but it’s usually relegated to a harried and low-paid food prep worker as one of their many daily duties. However, If you work at a company that deals with packaged hard-boiled eggs, peeling eggs might just end up being all you do at work, all day long. Some examples of the larger companies that deal in thousands of packaged boiled eggs per day include Sauder’s Eggs, Michael Foods and Eggland’s Best.

The Egg Peeler doesn’t peel all these by hand, of course; they’re usually at the controls of an industrial machine that both boils and peels the eggs. Professional Egg Peelers take pride in their ability to do it the old-fashioned way when called upon, however, often competing to set world records for speed!

Food Stylist

Food styling is sort of like flower arranging, just with food. The stylist arranges and places food to make it look as appealing, fresh and delicious as possible. Why would they do this? Primarily, they’re prepping food for pictures or video to be used in advertisements or cookbooks.

The stylist needs to be a professional photographer, but they also need to be a power shopper and a chef.

The stylist needs to be a professional photographer, of course, but they also need to be a power shopper and a chef as they’re usually in charge of obtaining all the raw materials and preparing them for the shoot.

The most interesting thing about what the Food Stylist does is that for most food shoots, they don’t take shortcuts with inedible artificial materials. While their result looks unrealistically good, especially when it comes to fast food burgers, it’s almost always in a form that you could pick up and eat.

Culinary Trend Researcher

Also sometimes referred to as a “Trendologist”, these experts have to keep their finger on the pulse of every aspect of the food industry to determine what’s trending and popular in people’s kitchens and on menus.

The big restaurant chains and frozen meal companies usually employ at least a few Trendologists to help them decide when to change their menus up or add new items.

Nutritional supplement companies also sometimes use the services of a Trend Researcher to help them determine what ingredients they should add to products such as fat burners, or what new flavors they should roll out in their protein powder lines.

Forager

Certain upscale restaurants are committed to using only ingredients that grow naturally in the wild. That means that somebody has to go out in the wild to get them! Enter the Foragers, a group of mostly independent entrepreneurs who sometimes contract out with restaurants or individual chefs to supply them with the wild edibles they need for their kitchens.

Foragers contract out with restaurants or individual chefs to supply them with the wild edibles they need for their kitchens.

Foragers hit the woods, fields, and forests looking for things like wild mushrooms, patches of wild spinach and edible weeds. Of course, it’s critical for a forager to know what is edible and what is dangerous, and some states are now requiring people who sell foraged food commercially to be licensed and bonded.

Brand Rover

Many of the larger food brands employ a “Rover” as a sort of traveling brand ambassador. They hit festivals and conventions all around the country giving out free samples and chatting with people to get real first hand impressions about the food.

Candy giant Mars is one company known to employ Rovers for many of their individual brands. Naturally, the companies that hire Rovers deal in foods of the non-perishable variety.

Pet Food Taste Tester

Yes, this is an actual job and yes, humans put pet food in their mouths (when it’s safe to do so). It turns out that despite their sometimes disgusting eating habits, household pets like cats and dogs tend to have very similar food tastes as humans.

As with wine tasting, you’re not supposed to swallow, but you do have to chew the food thoroughly.

As with wine tasting, you’re not supposed to swallow, but you do have to chew the food thoroughly. Pet foods are required to use meats and other ingredients that are safe for human consumption, but there’s no requirement for them to smell pleasant, so this can be quite the challenging job!
 

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11 Colorado Food Blogs You Should Read

11 Colorado Food Blogs You Should Read

From high altitude baking to Southwestern recipes, to Denver’s and Boulder’s burgeoning food scene, there’s plenty of fodder for local food bloggers to cover. Here is DiningOut’s list of 11 Colorado food blogs to read

11 Colorado Food Blogs You Should Follow

Blogger: Ashlae Warner

Homebase: Denver

History: I started Oh, Ladycakes in late-2011, as a way to chronicle my adventures in baking.

Specialty: Vegan baked goods (and other sweet confections) that don’t taste like they’re vegan. Basically, I could trick your meat-loving uncle (who thinks vegan is synonymous with the word gross) into eating one of my desserts. And he’d probably ask for seconds, too.

Favorite CO restaurant: It’s always changing, but I’m currently digging Mercantile Dining & Provisions. The space is stunning and the vegan plate (not officially on the menu) is always outta-this-world delicious.

11 Colorado Food blogs to FollowBlogger: Jennifer Yu

Homebase: I split my time between Nederland and Crested Butte.

History: I started the blog in 2004 to write down my thoughts after the untimely death of my only sister earlier that year. It eventually evolved into a personal blog full of photos and stories about my daily life including lots of food. In 2007, I stripped out the most personal content and went public with my food blog so I could participate in a fun and supportive group of food bloggers called The Daring Bakers (now The Daring Kitchen).

Specialty: My blog is about me—my life in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, my dog, outdoor adventures, places I like to eat, my cancer, some travels, some thoughts, some science, and lots of recipes with step-by-step photographs. There is plenty of photography because I’m a visual person. It’s part diary, part archive, and part a place to share things that I find beautiful, fascinating, or delicious. I don’t specialize in anything other than whatever is on my mind.

Favorite CO restaurant: That’s a tough one, because both Boulder and Crested Butte have great restaurant scenes and I know Denver does, too—although I don’t get to Denver often (I prefer to stay in the mountains).  I would have to go with Frasca in Boulder, because the food and wine are divine, and the service is beyond exceptional.

11 Food Colorado Blogs to FollowBlogger: Lauren Grier

Homebase: Denver (the Highlands)

History: I started Climbing Grier Mountain (CGM) in 2010 as a way to showcase all the wonderful experiences one can have while living in Colorado. The stories from CGM quickly morphed from just lifestyle to more food-focused when I got married, and figured it was time to learn how to cook a proper meal. I was working in the financial industry in 2010, and I lost my job due to the market crash. I figured the best way to pass the time between job interviews was to teach myself how to cook. If I could cook, I imagined that others could do the same.

Specialty: Curiosity.

Favorite CO restaurant: My favorite restaurant right now is Blue Pan Pizza. Their Detroit-style pizza is absolute perfection. Cheesy-topped dough with crispy edges—I’m hungry just thinking about it. I always order either the Parma Italia or Rocky Mountain.

11 Food Blogs to FollowBlogger: Elana Amsterdam

Homebase: Boulder

History: I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998. I tried a gluten-free diet and had mixed results so went on a grain-free, or paleo, diet in 2001. I started blogging to share my recipes as well as research on health issues in 2006 with others. Now, I have more than 800 recipes on my website and have written three cookbooks for Random House.

Specialty: My recipes are incredibly simple. I use very few ingredients and test my recipes more than a dozen times to make sure they really work for my readers. I get a lot of feedback thanking me for short ingredient lists and recipes that work.

Favorite CO restaurant: Larkspur in Vail. The food is incredible and they easily handle requests for special diets. Thomas Salamunovich is a genius.

Toni-Dash-BoulderLocavore-Head-Shot-BoulderLocavore.com-76Blogger: Toni Dash

Homebase: Boulder

History: I did a personal experiment to see if I could source my protein and produce exclusively from within a 100-mile radius over a winter in Colorado. I succeeded and in the process discovered all sorts of new farmers, markets, and food artisans. People constantly asked for my resources so I decided to start a blog in September 2010.

Specialty: Exciting, approachable seasonal food and cocktail recipes with twists that are all gluten-free, most also with a gluten option (if not naturally gluten-free). I also share travel stories—often with a food focus.

Favorite CO restaurant: Very difficult to answer, but I’ve been smitten with The Kitchen since it originally opened in Boulder. I love their food quality, innovative recipes, focus on sustainable practices, and involvement with the larger food movement through projects like supporting school gardens. And I found my farm CSA through them!

11 Food Blogs to FollowBlogger: Claire Walters

Homebase: Boulder

History: “Culinary Colorado,” my guidebook to Colorado restaurants, gourmet food stores, artisanal bakeries, cheeseries, cooking schools, wine specialists, food festivals, etc., did really well as soon as it came out of the bindery, but became outdated quickly. It proved too complicated/costly to create an immediate second edition only to face the same challenge again. When the publisher decided not to issue a second edition, I added a “Dining Diary” page to my website. Then when blogging appeared, I launched on October 10, 2006.

Specialty: I write about meals I’ve eaten and food I’ve cooked, trends, and news that intrigues me. My blog is Colorado-centric, but not Colorado exclusive, so I also celebrate Colorado chefs and restaurants that appear on “top” or “best” lists.

Favorite CO restaurant: I have no single favorite. That’s not a cop-out. It’s the truth. My favorite might be where my last delicious meal was–or one serving the food I’m in the mood for. One thing is that I do not go to chains–unless a restaurant is part of the [Frank] Bonanno empire, the Frasca [Food and Wine] family, the [Jen] Jasinski/[Beth] Gruitch collection, or similar.

11 food blogs to followBlogger: Nicole Espinosa

Homebase: Southeast Aurora

History: I’ve always baked with my mom as a child, and my grandma was an amazing baker and cook as well. I started the blog in 2009 when I lived in Boston for college–it was called Small Kitchen Big Head because I had maybe the smallest kitchen in America. I have also always been a writer and went to school for journalism. When I moved back to Colorado, I started to improve my baking skills. I’d be baking just as much whether I blogged about it or not, so blogging is just an excuse for me to keep on baking!

Specialty: Baking and sweets are really my passion. I’m also building up some high-altitude baking resources as I learn more, which I think are too sparsely available online today–it’s hard to find high altitude recipes that actually work! I have a high altitude section on my site that I’m building up.

Favorite CO restaurant: Right now, I’m obsessed with a small breakfast and lunch spot in Aurora called The French Press. They make graham cracker syrup to go with stuffed french toast and other sweets, and it’s incredible! They also have chorizo biscuits and gravy that are EVERYTHING.

11 food blogs to followBlogger: Grace Boyle

Homebase: I live in Longmont and work in Boulder.

History: I had been blogging since 2008 on my personal blog, while also working at my day job in the blogging/publisher industry, so it was part of my day-to-day already. I love uncovering hidden restaurants when traveling, cooking, providing tips on where to eat (I get so many: “Where should I bring my family when they’re in town” questions), and sharing my love of food and how it binds us as people, so it felt very aligned to start another blog on food. A trip to Taos, New Mexico inspired me to finally take the leap in October 2010 so I could share the incredible food I had there.

Specialty: I’m keenly aware of restaurant openings and food stories in Colorado, so as a naturally curious person, I keep readers up-to-date. As an Italian, I care deeply about food and feel strongly that no matter where you’re from or your beliefs, food is one of those few things that connects us. I like to think that insatiable passion comes through in my words as I showcase interesting and delectable stories about food in Colorado and beyond.

Favorite CO restaurant: I love Black Cat. Their menu is driven by their 130-acre farm just outside of Boulder, so the menu changes daily to truly reflect what’s seasonal and fresh. It’s not unusual to see Owner/Chef Eric Skokan at the Boulder Farmers’ Market with his Black Cat farm stand in the morning, then see him later that night in the kitchen at Black Cat, cooking and greeting customers in person.

bryce-600x600Blogger: Bryce Crawford

Homebase: Colorado Springs

History: I was previously a reporter and restaurant critic for the weekly newspaper. After I quit and realized how much there still was to cover in the area, I started my site on September 1, 2015.

Specialty: We’re connected and plugged-in. We’re judging the events you attend and hanging with the people you want to know more about.

Favorite CO restaurant: My favorite restaurant is probably King’s Chef Diner. It’s a great greasy spoon with kicking green chile.

11 food blogs to followBlogger: Sara Lancaster

Homebase: Denver (Denver Tech Center area)

History: I started in 2010 as a portfolio piece for my marketing agency (The Condiment Marketing Co.) and because I really do have a love for sauces and dips and felt food blogging would be a fun, creative outlet.

Specialty: Sauces and dips aren’t unique really, but to blog about only those two things is unusual as far as I know.

Favorite CO restaurant: I’ve got two little kids now, so I don’t make it out to try the restaurants I would like … at least not often. But my recent favorite is Los Chingones in the DTC. I think of their  Garden Guac often.

barbara-creative-culinaryBlogger: Barb Kiebel

Homebase: Denver

History: I learned HTML in 1995 when working in the Internet Division of a large cable company and decided to create my own recipe site to both categorize and easily share recipes with friends. I turned that site into an interactive blog in 2007 and became a full-time food and cocktail blogger in 2012.

Specialty: Though I feature more recipes for food than cocktails, I am most well known as a cocktail blogger since I started featuring cocktails five years ago in my weekly series called “FridayCocktails.”

Favorite CO restaurant: I love Ya Ya’s in the Denver Tech Center. While I have always enjoyed their food and ambience, they are my “Cheers” that that’s what makes them so special; everybody knows my name!

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What Do You Mean Hot Dogs Aren’t American?!

What Do You Mean Hot Dogs Aren’t American?!

Ask any American which foods they consider to be ‘American’ and the answers will be the same. But which of these do we inaccurately consider our own? Don’t worry, we’ve got the answers.

Breakfast Foods

The All-American, the most popular breakfast in America by far, is a dish consisting of eggs, breakfast meats, fried potatoes, toast or American biscuits and occasionally waffles or pancakes.

Traditionally, this fare was enjoyed only by the European elite or the gentry.

Traditionally, this fare was enjoyed only by the European elite or the gentry. Eggs and bacon, for example, go back to the Greeks and Romans in ancient times. Most people broke their fast with tea and a grain like rice or oats, which prepped the body for the day.

As time passed, vegetables, fishes, meats and grains were added to the meal. The English, for instance, enjoy their bacon, sausage and eggs with baked beans, fried tomatoes, fried mushrooms and sometimes leftovers from the night before.

Typical breakfasts the world over include soft or hard boiled eggs, meats, cheeses, bread with butter and jam and a drink like coffee or tea. So, unfortunately, America can’t claim this one.

Pancakes and waffles are considered inherently American. But, such a notion probably has the Greeks of the 5th century BCE, who devised the pancake, turning in their graves.

As for the waffle, we can thank Denmark for this delicious breakfast item.

As for the waffle, we can thank Denmark for this delicious breakfast item, which was first concocted by the Danes during medieval times.

Lunch & Dinner Foods

Hamburgers are definitely considered to be an American invention, but it actually originated in ancient times with the invader Genghis Kahn. He and his men rode their horses for months at a time and their foods had to be held in one hand, so they could guide the horse with the other.

The meat was first tucked beneath the saddle to be tenderized and then eaten raw with one hand.

One of the lands they conquered had developed ground meats of lamb and mutton (sheep at different stages of maturity). The meat was first tucked beneath the saddle to be tenderized and then eaten raw with one hand, similar to what we now consider steak tartare.

Only when brought to America by German immigrants was the meat placed between two slices of bread and called a hamburger for Hamburgh Steak.

Hot dogs, or sausages, are one of the oldest foods in the world going back to the 9th century BCE. They were called dachshund sausages or little dog sausages, for what reason, no one seems to know, and were brought to the New World by German immigrants and sold at roadside stands.

They were called dachshund sausages or little dog sausages, for what reason, no one seems to know.

How did they become known as hot dogs? A reporter at a ball game in New York couldn’t spell dachshund, so he just printed the words “hot dogs”, because vendors shouted to “get your dachshund dogs red hot”.

Pizza is another American favorite thought by some to have been invented in Chicago during the 19th century and by others, in New York during the 20th century, but they’d all be wrong.

When it came to America, pizza morphed over the years into what Americans know and love today.

The flatbread with things on top of it has existed since around 500 BCE. Egyptians, Indians, Persians, Greeks and Romans all made flatbread with toppings to form what we today call pizza.

As with all things, when it came to America, pizza morphed over the years into what Americans know and love today.

Food and a specific method of preparation may have been born in a certain country, but the end results are always personalized by the cooks preparing the dishes. After all, the same foods are used all over the world. Americans celebrate their food by finding new ways to combine and cook their ingredients in an imaginative manner, and this is what truly makes it American.

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How to Find the Best Local Restaurants When Traveling

How to Find the Best Local Restaurants When Traveling

Do you want a chance to step outside of your comfort zone? Hit the road and go somewhere that is on your bucket list. Travel is the best way to challenge yourself to try new things. One of the most important factors to consider when going to a new location is where are you going to eat. Don’t stay with your fellow tourists, rather eat with the locals. Use these tips for how to find local restaurants when traveling.

Use Personal Connections

Before you travel to a new destination, check with friends, family, and coworkers who have been to the same destination. Ask them what the local food scene is like and if they have any suggestions.

Try and get insider tips.

Try and get insider tips. For instance, how is the street food? What are the prices like in restaurants that are down side streets? What are some of the most popular restaurants for locals?

Do Your Research

The internet is your best friend when you are traveling. Check different travel websites before you leave. Do the same on the internet at your hotel. If a restaurant sounds interesting, check the reviews for it. Do not be afraid to try places that don’t have any reviews listed.

Do not be afraid to try places that don’t have any reviews listed.

Look for local deals and see if you qualify for the offer. Sometimes these offers are available to travelers especially if the location is new and trying to grow their customer base.

Walk around the non-tourist parts of town when you arrive. If a restaurant seems appealing, walk in and try it.

Brush up on the Local Language

When traveling outside of the country, it is important to understand the local customs and culture. One of the most important parts of the local culture is understanding the language.

Make sure you know how to read and speak key phrases. Some food related ones to know are: excuse me, what do you recommend? Where do you like to eat? What is in this dish?

These phrases along with basic manners will help you blend in a bit more.

These phrases along with basic manners will help you blend in a bit more. Making an attempt at a new language will get you in the good graces of locals, once you make the attempt many will switch to English if they know it.

Be Prepared to Expand Your Palette

Travel is an exciting escape from the everyday grind. It is the perfect time to try new dishes. Experiment as often as you can because you probably won’t be able to taste these dishes when you’re are back at home.

Take a risk and try something new.

Don’t be afraid. The worst that could happen when trying new flavors is that you don’t like it! So take a risk and try something new. However, if you know you have an allergy or sensitivity use caution.

Chat People Up

Ask the people at the hotel where they eat. Let them know you do not want to eat where typical travelers eat. If you are looking for a specific type of food let them know so they can narrow their choices down.

If you are traveling overseas, this includes talking to the flight attendants when you get the chance. There is a good chance they will have some recommendations especially if you are flying on one of their regular routes.

Do not be afraid to talk with people on the street. If something smells good and a local is walking by the location, ask them about it.

Ask the people at the hotel where they eat.

Ask the servers where they eat if you want future meal ideas. Talk to the people in tour centers as you pick up your tickets. Ask them where they eat for all meals.

While the primary goal is to find positive food experiences, take to heart any local opinions on places to avoid.

No matter if you are traveling for business or pleasure, use these tips to expand your food knowledge. Know your limits though and if you have any allergies or sensitivities, make sure you inquire what is in with the dishes that you want to try. Happy eating!

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Restaurants Answer Call for Local and Organic Foods

Restaurants Answer Call for Local and Organic Foods

Many restaurants are beginning to understand why organic matters. An increasing number of restaurants are offering wider selections of organic and local produce menu items due to the large consumer demand. Most consumers are not aware that, the term “local” can mean the produce was grown as many as 400 miles away; however the term “organic” must adhere to strict government standards. 

Why the Interest in Locally Sourced Foods?

A recent survey conducted by Technomic, suggests that a large percentage of consumers prefer to purchase locally sourced beverages and foods. As many as 26% are willing to pay more in order to get them. Additionally, more than 50% of customers reported eating locally sourced food items at least once a week.

More than 50% of customers reported eating locally sourced food items at least once a week.

Over 50% of individuals surveyed claimed they prefer local foods simply because they consider them to taste better. The majority said they wanted to eat less processed and natural foods. Other consumers stated that they consume these foods out of concern for the environment, and wanted to contribute by supporting local businesses and farmers.

However, consumers are not the only ones attracted to locally sourced, organic foods. The National Restaurant Association polled 1,600 chefs about the latest food trends for 2016. The majority of the chefs included the word, “local” in three of the top 10 responses. These responses included:

  • Meats and seafood that are locally sourced
  • Produce that is locally grown
  • Hyper-local sourcing

Brands Responding to Consumer Demands

Due to the consumer demand for high quality organic and locally sourced ingredients continues to rise, food manufacturers have jumped on the band wagon to widely respond to the trend.

One report suggests that even those consumers who order carry-out items are questing locally sourced, organic foods. Technomic MenuMonitor data shows five-year increases in local organic food requests by:

  • 150% for desserts
  • 137% for entrees
  • 82% for appetizers

This has led to…

  • Wendy’s adding organic beverages
  • Elevation Burger adding pure organic beef burgers
  • Noodle & Co. offering organic tofu and naturally raised pork products
  • Papa John’s using freshly picked, within six hours, tomatoes in their sauce

But that’s not all…

In 2015, Panera introduced the “transparent” menu, beginning a movement toward clean eating. Most recently the food chain produced a clean soup menu to support the initiative toward selling locally sourced and organic foods, and has been rewarded for its efforts.

According to Technomic’s most recent survey, the company stands as a leading fast food chain. Quality Systems Regulations (QSR) have witnessed increases in sales and brand equity by including local and organic foods on their menus.

Tender Greens, a California based company, has built a substantial consumer following by providing fresh, local produce and has begun experimenting with aeroponic towers of vegetables that appear within the restaurants themselves. As testament to its success, Tender Greens is expected to expand to New York City.

The Future of Organic and Local Food

Restaurateurs who have been authentic and trustworthy about what ingredients are used in their products and where they come from, are those who have most highly succeed. Regardless of how consumers perceive or define the food items they demand, the industry is clearly moving toward a well-defined, clean-eating trend that extends toward a healthier way of life.

The industry is clearly moving toward a well-defined, clean-eating trend that extends toward a healthier way of life.

More and more consumers are demanding information about how foods are being prepared. They want to know about food portions and how it is prepared. Consumers are interested in exactly what the ingredients are, where they originated, and what a given restaurant’s effect is on the environment.

The industry can expect to see a steady increase in organic and locally sourced menu offerings among QSRs. This is a move that can serve, not only to attract new consumers, but also to meet the demands of former and existing consumers. The growing emphasis being placed on sustainability, transparency and food safety will only strengthen this trend.

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How to Behave at a Sushi Restaurant

How to Behave at a Sushi Restaurant

Everyone seems to be eating sushi these days. What some people do not realize, however, is that eating this traditional Japanese food comes with its own set of rules, most of which are in regards to showing respect to the chef that prepared the food. If you would like to learn how to behave at a sushi restaurant, here are some things you should know.

Sushi is Art

Traditionally, one learns to appreciate art by going to a museum or gallery to observe it. The beginning sushi chef starts his or her career by watching other sushi chefs for as long as the first month of training. Chefs use certain body movements and ways of cutting and arranging the food that results in beautiful arrays that vary in color, texture, size and taste, and, therefore, a true culinary art. The appearance of the sushi is as important to the chef as the flavor, so one should take his time to observe and appreciate the food when it is served.

If seated at the bar, it is proper etiquette to order sushi directly from the chef, but to reserve drink orders for the wait staff.

If one would like to see the artful process involved in making the sushi, he or she should request to sit at the bar in front of the prep area. If seated at the bar, it is proper etiquette to order sushi directly from the chef, but to reserve drink orders for the wait staff.

If a tip jar is provided at the bar, it is proper to place tips into it. However, if no jar is available, tipping the regular way when the check arrives is perfectly acceptable.

Chopsticks

Although some people prefer to eat sushi with their fingers, which is perfectly acceptable, it is most commonly eaten with chopsticks. There are all kinds of chopsticks. However, unless the sushi restaurant is a particularly high-end establishment that provides high-gloss, finely carved chopsticks, the sticks are usually provided in thin paper packages that diners open and extract themselves.

It is considered insulting to the sushi chef to rub the chopsticks together to remove these splinters, because this indicates that the sticks are inferior, so just leave them.

Upon opening chopsticks, one often finds they are joined at one end. A quick pull about midway down the stick will liberate one from the other, which is good, but sometimes, one detects small splinters of wood protruding from the area where the sticks were broken apart. Believe it or not, it is considered insulting to the sushi chef to rub the chopsticks together to remove these splinters, because this indicates that the sticks are inferior, so just leave them, unless they appear in areas that obstruct the fingers, or there is a danger of consuming them.

If one is dining from a communal table where the sushi is served on a shared platter, the chopsticks should be reversed to their wider ends to remove the food, and then flipped to the pointed ends for eating.

Condiments and Dipping

Sushi is usually served with certain condiments, such as soy sauce, a green horseradish called, “wasabi,” and thinly-sliced, preserved ginger. Diners are provided with small, shallow bowls to hold the soy sauce, and often use their chopsticks to place a little of the wasabi into the sauce and mix it with their chopsticks for an added flavor kick. However, This practice is considered incorrect. The wasabi should be dabbed onto each piece separately as it is eaten, and used sparingly.

 When prepared correctly, sushi is finely crafted with perfect, delicate balances of flavor that are overshadowed by the flavor of the ginger.

Dipping the fish side of the sushi into the soy sauce keeps the food in place. Dipping the rice side in can cause the rice to dislodge and fall into the sauce, which can again, insult the chef. However, the bites should be eaten with the rice side down, so the taste buds will not be overwhelmed by the salty flavors of the sauce.

Never place ginger directly onto the sushi. When prepared correctly, sushi is finely crafted with perfect, delicate balances of flavor that are overshadowed by the flavor of the ginger. The pink condiment should be consumed between bites to cleanse the palate in preparation for the next bite.

Gratitude

In addition to a tip, a polite “thanks” should be given to the chef and/ or staff. A quick, “domo arigato” is sufficient, but “thank you” will also suffice.

Sidenote: If you love sushi and you’re looking for a job, find opportunities with top sushi restaurants on Sirvo!

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