I recently watched a documentary entitled
"Jiro Dreams of Sushi". This incredible tale
provides viewers a glimpse into the life of Jiro Uno, an 85 year old chef who has dedicated his
entire being into carefully crafting the freshest sushi in the world. As someone
who loves food it was to be expected that I would enjoy this film. But I could
not have predicated just how big of an impact Jiro's story would have on me. I say this because
the film struck a chord deep inside my soul. Witnessing this man's passion, work
ethic, dedication, love and borderline obsession to perfecting his craft
inspired me so very much. His work is an art form. And as an artist nothing is
more relevant in this world to me. Art is my religion, and in my eyes a master
creator of beautiful food is just as relevant as a renowned musician, painter or
writer.
At the surface, this film is about Jiro and his eldest son, Yoshikaza, and their bond in creating simple, yet brilliantly made sushi. Jiro's ten-seat restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, surprisingly
located in one of Tokyo's underground subways, currently has a three Michelin
star rating, the highest honour a restaurant can earn. As the story unfolds
viewers bare witness to Jiro's dedication in bringing his customers only the
freshest seafood catch of the day. You are also introduced to his Jiro's rice
provider, (kind of a big deal if you are making sushi), who in the film
discusses that giving rice to anyone else would be a waste. Using nothing but the
very best ingredients, Jiro and his brigade then perform ancient old techniques, and
with the utmost respect create the simplest, yet most elegant sushi found
anywhere in the world.
Director David Gelb seems to also share Jiro's sense of simplicity. The film is beautifully shot and far removed from modern techniques such as crash zooms and millisecond editing. For the most part, scenes seem to breath slowly, allowing viewers to gaze over the beautiful food, markets and landscape of Japan. Such is the soft, Zen like melodies of the mainly classical music used to score the film. The entire production seemed to sweep me away, paying homage to the title, a felt as though I were dreaming along side Jiro himself.
Director David Gelb seems to also share Jiro's sense of simplicity. The film is beautifully shot and far removed from modern techniques such as crash zooms and millisecond editing. For the most part, scenes seem to breath slowly, allowing viewers to gaze over the beautiful food, markets and landscape of Japan. Such is the soft, Zen like melodies of the mainly classical music used to score the film. The entire production seemed to sweep me away, paying homage to the title, a felt as though I were dreaming along side Jiro himself.
(Below, Anthony Bourdain featuring Sukiyabashi Jiro on his television program, "No Reservations.")
Despite this incredible tale "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" is so much more than a story of just food. There is no denying that Jiro is a pure genius, conducting a symphony of ocean delights. But underneath that infectious warm smile, I could not help but detect a hint of sadness in his eyes. In addition to the all the beautiful artistry, this film really is about family, tradition, honour, respect, dedication, and above all, one very complicated man.
Despite this incredible tale "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" is so much more than a story of just food. There is no denying that Jiro is a pure genius, conducting a symphony of ocean delights. But underneath that infectious warm smile, I could not help but detect a hint of sadness in his eyes. In addition to the all the beautiful artistry, this film really is about family, tradition, honour, respect, dedication, and above all, one very complicated man.
Whether or not you are a foodie, I highly
suggest you see "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". I myself have seen it twice and will
likely see it again in the future. I'd love for anyone else who has seen the
movie to share their own thoughts.
Thanks for reading.
-Christian
aka The Seasoned Palate
