I try to watch a least a half dozen documentaries each year. I try to find apolitical documentaries. The political ones often espouse viewpoints that I find faulty. They also deliver lopsided examinations of a topic that conveniently leave out critical opposing points. Documentaries about people may be intimate and explore topics that don’t necessarily require different perspectives. There are plenty of these documentaries to be found, if one takes the time to look. One of those trips into the world of documentaries was through the lens of David Gelb and his culinary exploration titled Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
Shokunin is a Japanese term that most closely means “craftsman” or “artisan.” But the meaning goes much deeper. It is a commitment to the public to deliver perfection. It is a spiritual concept reserved for craftsman with unmatched dedication to their craft. If the definition had a picture next to it, the photograph would be Jiro Ono. Ono creates sushi. On the surface, it appears that Ono creates overpriced sushi in an unassuming basement restaurant below a Tokyo office complex. A seemingly pretentious meal that often requires a waiting list months in advance. But there is far more here than meets the eye.
Ono began making sushi when he was still a child. He trained as an apprentice for years learning the traditional methods for creating sushi. He was even told that sushi had been perfected and that there was no room for new ideas. But Ono would sleep and dream his craft, developing his own, simplistic creations and expanding the sushi universe. Ono is now eighty-five years old. He still returns to work every day, delivering world class sushi to the exclusive clientele that frequent his small restaurant. In this documentary we learn the nuance of his craft.
Ono has several apprentices along with his eldest son, who is more of a partner than an employee. His son, Yoshikazu, waits patiently for his own opportunity to take over the family business. This documentary takes us behind the scenes to learn the repetition and perfection required by the apprentices in getting the ingredients ready to eventually be called sushi. These workers diligently apply themselves for ten years before they will ever earn the title of Shokunin. That title is reserved only for those whose craft meets with the cruelly precise standards employed by the Onos.
This film goes beyond the restaurant and explores the relationships between the owners and their suppliers. Sourcing the best of every ingredient is part of the exacting process required by a true Shokunin. Every detail is carefully decided based on relationships the family has with suppliers who are considered experts in their own craft. From rice to tuna, Ono will only purchase based on reputation and life-long relationships with suppliers who ensure that the absolute best is reserved for their restaurant. If the quality of an ingredient does not match their standards, they will not serve that item, finding some other high quality substitute.
Learning about Ono taught me quite a bit about sushi, a food I do not eat. It also taught me quite a bit about Japanese culture and tradition. The film also explored the reputation of the restaurant and the issues involved with passing a restaurant from one generation to another. The film included guidance from a food writer who appears to be one of Ono’s biggest fans. In fact, he iterated that HE actually gets nervous when Ono serves him. Hearing the food writer was nervous in the presence of the cook and not vice versa was telling.
I enjoyed the approach that Gelb took in presenting this rather short documentary. He doesn’t drag the story out longer than it needs to be, fitting his entire story into a compact 81 minutes. Yet Gelb manages to introduce us to the process of creating sushi all the way back to the source ingredients while painting a detailed portrait of the subject. It was a charming exploration of culture and food, two things that hold my interest. The story was complete, warm and interesting. I would definitely recommend Jiro Dreams of Sushi as an intriguingly different documentary. 8/10.