You can tell he's serious about his craft, but not obnoxious about it. The best you can hope for

Hes really respectful of people enjoying sushi differently. Class act.

Ever noticed how true experts can talk so openly, fluidly and (normally) without bias on their topic of expertise? It's probably one of the reasons it's so good to listen to people like Taka.

That fact about fugu really made me rethink life. I didn't know they could be farmed so they can never make poison..

I love how positive this guy is. Never says a bad word about anyone. Made me feel like I'm not stupid even when he's dispelling my wildly inaccurate preconceptions.

A friend of mine chastised me for eating sushi with my hands, saying it's not finger food. It was nice to hear the chef say the literal opposite of that.

So glad he touched on the fact that cream cheese and mayo help sushi reach a wider audience. Yeah, it's not traditional, but it is tasty, and it does help warm up Westerners to Japanese cuisine. Not everything has to be traditional to be good anyway, and breaking old school boundaries of what sushi can and cannot be gives chefs so much more room to be creative at their jobs and is in fact the reason there are so many different varieties of sushi today.

I used to think nigiri-style sushi was sad: Just rice and fish? But then I tried one in an actually good traditional restaurant and oh my god. It's so full of flavor. You can eat the rice alone. And the fish was out of this world. What a difference good ingredients can make.

I like that he is respectful of the way people eat sushi, including those who don't eat it 'the proper way'.

I am so glad I got to see a sushi chef refer to sushi as finger food. I am tired of the snobs looking at me weird every time I decide to just pick up a piece and eat it.

Top points for him knowing about the non-toxicity of farm-raised fugu livers. Not many people in Japan even know about that.

Man, this guy is so nice, and he is proud of who he is as a sushi chef. Mad respect.

Interesting, I didn't know farmed fugu is not poisonous and you can eat the whole fish. I was sort of freaked out when people say they are eating the whole fugu.

"Nothing should look sad. It should look bright." Good to know when the aliens come down looking for human sashimi they won't be coming after me.

I always love a chef/cook that is highly skilled but also finds beauty in the simple dishes, respect to this guy

Loved his upbeat attitude and the amount of information given during this. Ive been eating sushi for 30yrs and even had a friend who was a sushi chef that between his ideas and mine, we created a few special sushi rolls that he liked so much they are still on the menu in town at the restaurant; if you ever get chance and you’re close with the chef, I recommend working with them to create unique rolls. Loved this video though, i learned a lot.

You can tell he smiles all the time. He just has a happy atmosphere.

This guy is so cool and respectful. I feel like there's this massive hype around sushi and sushi chefs and this guy not only shows his expertise, but does it in a way that makes him seem incredibly approachable and down to earth. Awesome

What a decent guy. So positive and willing to answer a bunch of dumb questions

3:10 On top of what he said to answer that question, eel blood is a natural irritant to humans, so that's why when you have eel it's *_ALWAYS_* cooked. Whenever I was pregnant, I'd have unagi every chance I got, since I couldn't have any other kind of sushi. Unagidon is now one of my favorite dishes.

He seems like such a genuine person. Like I would trust this man with my pin to my bank account.

I ate sushi for decades. Never knew there was a non poisonous fugu. That's blowing my mind right now.

For anyone curious about the Oba leaf that sometimes comes with sushi or other Japanese dishes, it's basically the Japanese equivalent of the parsley sprig that used to be really popular in western restaurants (but I see rarely today). It adds color to a plate (presentation is very important in both Japanese and French cuisine) and it also has the practical purpose of being a way to freshen your breath after eating your meal. Most people don't eat it, but it's there if you want to. In western cuisine, I think the minty toothpick killed the parsley sprig. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen one of those minty toothpicks in a while either...

He is so knowledgable and well spoken. Did not get bored watching this video even for a second. He was so respectful. Liked it so much.

Every time he rolls a sample I can't believe the amount of perseverance he has to not just chomp down on it

This dude just casually held up the most expensive box of uni I've ever seen. Like, you guys don't understand, this box had to have at least $1000 worth of sea urchin in it.

I love how chef Taka Sakaeda is such a cool and respectful person with all the questions, and you can see he really loves the art of sushi. I really enjoyed this video

14:15 imagine in 400 years pretzels start being treated delicately in restaurants

"(...) as long as people understand that this is not traditional chefs have the creative freedom to do whatever they want." pitty so many prefer to gatekeep stuff and belittle others who merely do things differently respect to Taka Sakaeda. what a lovely person

This was mesmerizing for whatever reason, I could listen to chef Sakaeda reading me a book

I love this guy!! Hes very passionate, informative & kind :) very supportive on the different ways someone might enjoy the cuisine. Hes here to share knowledge n not pass judgment

I really like this guy, comes across really well and honest, and clearly knows and loves his craft 👍

Honestly I think Americans might have stumbled onto something with avocado in sushi. I normally don't like avocado - the texture ruins everything for me. I like guacamole as a dip, but that's about it. I don't normally like it IN my food. However, in sushi, the texture makes sense to me, especially if it's paired with something with some crunch to it.

The California roll was invented by Tojo in Vancouver, BC. It was named for the avocado because they commonly grow in California. He also invented the idea of putting the rice on the outside of the roll to make it more palatable for the western market, and is arguably most responsible for the explosion of sushi popularity in the west.

Maybe we are a -bit- heretics, but here in Costa Rica, it's super common to find cooked chicken, fried plantain, avocado and tempura sushi rolls 😅

IN MY VIEW You were a true delight to watch and listen to as you fed us with this sushi information banquet. I learned so much. Thank you.

Sushi chef is answering the real questions

Thanks for addressing the chopsticks issues. I always try to tell people that you don't have to eat it with chopsticks, it's not a rule or something. The key I've found to sushi is to not mess around with it too much, respect it, and get it to your mouth quickly without mushing it around. So using your fingers is most of the time the best option.

This guy is such a good source of valuable info. Highly educational and entertaining !

Love how gracious he is 🙏🏼

There are so many myths and legends about sushi, so I'm really happy to see a sushi chef openly explaining details for everybody to understand. The less you hype it, the more you actually gain respect for it's craft due understanding the ingredients and the process. Thanks a lot!

I love sushi & I appreciate that there is artistry to it & I like this guy's chill attitude about it.

I love these videos. Learned a lot of things here. Always great to listen to someone talk about what they know best.

Hosomaki are my favourite maki. Simple and genious, and nice to look at. The balance between each ingredient makes the taste wonderful. I think it so sad and frustrating that they are actually impossible to find where I live! Most places sell maki with rice on the outside and packed with different ingredients.

4:16 for the price question in the thumbnail. Answer is "depends on the cut of the fish"

"There is no sushi that tastes like chicken" *nervously eats chicken teriyaki roll*

I love how he is so calm and gives off positive vibes. He is the real version of smile emoticon.

"What is this orange little bubble things?" Questions asked before desaster :D When my Buddy asked me what these are, while eating them happily, he couldn't eat a piece anymore after he knew.

Regarding the cream cheese question, I have to wonder if Americans' familiarity with a lox bagel played a role. When I hear "cream cheese" and "sushi", I'm thinking of what's often called a "Philadelphia roll", a makizushi with salmon and cream cheese. A common American treat is lox on a bagel with cured salmon cream cheese (usually with capers and dill, with the optional addition of red onion, and in my opinion you can take it to the next level with some thinly-sliced cucumber). The salmon is uncooked, so that's why I think the addition of cream cheese might be kind of an "ambassador" to the American palate. And while I'm talking about the Philadelphia roll, I don't think its name is meant to suggest that it was created in Philadelphia or that it's popular there. I recently learned that in Italy, cream cheese is often called "Philadelphia", because that's the imported brand they use. It's the most popular brand in the US too, I think. So "Philadelphia" in "Philadelphia roll" might just refer to cream cheese in general, not the origin of the sushi.

Great interview! Also, it gives a good insight into the culture that revolves around sushi to non sushi lovers.

I have watched a lot on Korean, Chinese, and Japanese ingredients, cooking, and preparation. That bluefin tuna is EXPENSIVE! Not just that but the fishing trade puts a tremendous amount of care into the quality of the fish caught and the preparation.

He's answering questions I never realized I've always had.

I met a sushi chef back in 1985 who had been living in the USA for thirty years at the time. He claimed to be the inventor of California roll. He said he developed it to warm customers to the concept of sushi. Sort of a beginner’s sushi.

Wow the fact about the puffer fish is really cool, I didn’t realize you could raise them to not be poisonous

I love how you can see his pride and joy at talking about his craft. Very nice!

he explains all questions well, very professional

I just ran across this man for the first time. I LOVE THIS GUY! Nothing impressed me more than people who have this massive amount of knowledge in their craft. LOVE HIM!

I never thought that surimi was supposed to be an imitation of crabs, in France as well it's called surimi and marketed as simple fish stick

What a bright, ebullient personality that obviously loves his craft and doesn't have an unkind word to say about anyone! We need more of this in the world :)

Good job in responding to some very condescending and ignorant questions in a patient and informative way.

4:05 THE THUMBNAIL.

Mannnn this made me hungry

This was so great and informative. He is so kind.

Lovely guy. Very prepared and humble.

"eel sauce is blood?!" "gosh, no. that would be gross. it's bones obviously" 😂😂

I love how happy he looks explaining his knowledge. You can tell he really loves his job.

I don’t even like sushi, but when you have someone this passionate about something you stick around.

Beautifully done. So open and positive with respect for all questions.

Why do I wanna see a sushi chef take a whole small block of fish and take a huge bite out of it

This guy was awesome. Tons of charisma, and very informative!

This guy is so humble that it is a pleasure to hear him talk!

Man, you can see by how he smiles talking about specifics that he loves his craft

I’m impressed he went through so many questions and how knowledgeable and nice he sounds

It’s so delightful to hear someone speaking about something they not only love but know profoundly what they are talking about 😍

We Japanese are very happy that sushi is evolving and spreading in new ways overseas. Living in Europe now, I think that people who like sushi should definitely try traditional style in Japan! There are many types of fish (often more than 10 types are offered in "Omakase"), and each one has a completely different and profound taste. And don't miss the real taste of wasabi and the sophisticated sashimi and deep-fried appetizers! Now that the yen is weak, come to Japan!🤣 We look forward to~!!

I love how easy he was able to make that sushi roll, you can tell he is a god tier chef

Very charismatic chef unlike the ones you see on TV. I hope he comes back for more soon. Some more cutting demos would be fantastic.

Such a nice interview loved his attitude and enthusiasm.

This is such a great video. Totally informative, some tricks of the trade, huge insight and a sense of humour. Great stuff!

I had to learn how to make my own sushi because I was spending way too much at restaurants, lol. It’s definitely not as delicious but I’m saving more now

He is so thoughtful and clear with all his answers. Great job!

So eloquent, I love hearing him explain things.

This was a great fun informative video. Thanks!

Speaking of the sea urchin, I'd recommend "塩水ウニ" or saltwater uni. It is without alum for preservative, which definetely changes the flavor of it and makes it bitterless. You can get it in some port for around $20 both in US/JP.

Man after my own heart, his favorite is simple and straight to the point.

Really enjoyed watching this video... Amazing Sushi Chef! Thank You... learnt so much... Would love to see a follow up video by him on Sushi and other Japanese foods...

Very entertaining video, thanks Chef!

not only is this guy super knowledgeable, but also super likeable! love this video!

I start to love sushi and now i become a lover for how they produce the fish into the Sushi. They really have the skill to it and really interesting technique that i never thought about before

TAK!!! I just hit up nami nori and loved it. Glad to see a Syosset alum killing it!

This guy answers these questions so gracefully

Didn't think I needed to know any of that, but I did! Fascinating and concise.

This guy is great! Learned a whole lot.

This was very informational and educational

If I were rich enough, I’d hire this man for my sushi Sunday’s. Made me crave for authenticity and to pick his brain more 🤣

This was awesome! I love the chef!

State by state difference in food is definately a thing. My siblings live in Utah and kansas. Every time they come back to visit california they always have to get sushi, indian, and mexican food because in california we have a huge asian/indian/latino population and more 'authentic' hole in the wall restaurants compared to the 1 panda express and el pollo loco in their city. In the midwest, my sister knew people born and raised in utah who never had sushi or burritos in their life and kept asking her questions about 'is this how your people eat it?' 🙄

6:31 thank you for aleviating the anxiety in situations where I dont know how to use chopsticks where chopsticks are the default utensil

Sushi is by far my favorite food. Super interesting to learn more about it. Great chef.

He is so wholesome has a great way of education