Training Sequence

Friday, I headed to the Lightbox to watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a documentary about 86-year-old sushi chef in a small restaurant (max seating 10) located in an underground mall next to a Tokyo subway station. There doesn't seem to be much to it, except that the restaurant has received a 3-star Michelin rating for several years. This is all thanks to the exacting standards of Jiro who, after 70 years working, continues to try and discover ways to make better and tastier sushi.

I was struck by the old-fashioned attitude for a hard, tireless, and uncomplaining work ethic (although with passion). As Jiro noted, "kids nowaday want to work less hours and make more money." Ouch! That hit a little to close to home as I've been griping about my salary situation lately.

There are no such joints in Toronto, offering 20 exquisite piece for $400. I could head to Kaji or Hiro for $150, but wanting an affordable but similar aesthetic I headed home to my local sushi place: Rikishi. This was also an unprepossessing place manned by an old, wizened Japanese sushi chef.

Saturday, I saw The Raid: Redemption, an Indonesian martial arts movie highlighting the fighting forms of silat. It was also a wonderful movie in a different way, mostly brutal and bloody (although there was some squeamish scenes in Jiro with the fish gutting.) But like Jiro, it was about people excelling at their craft with resorting to trickery or shortcuts.