Japan gives kudos to king of Vancouver sushi kitchen, chef Hidekazu Tojo
VANCOUVER — When Hidekazu Tojo began preparing sushi at a modest Japanese restaurant in Vancouver 45 years ago, customers were squeamish about eating raw fish wrapped in seaweed.
So the 21-year-old chef flipped tradition inside-out, hiding the unfamiliar ingredients inside a coat of warm rice. The California roll was born.
Tojo, who is credited with inventing the popular sushi dish, has been named a Goodwill Ambassador for Japanese Cuisine by Japan’s government.
“When I came in 1971, people, they didn’t know about Japanese food. Especially sushi … to eat raw fish was scary,” said Tojo, 66, standing behind the counter of a huge open-air kitchen at his famous restaurant.