Cultural News, 2011 January Issue
Andy Matsuda’s Sushi School / Cutting board talk
By Andy Matsuda
Chef Andy Matsuda (Couetesy of Sushi Chef Institute)
After a three-year effort searching for a new home, the Sushi Chef Institute will move from its current Little Tokyo location to 1123 Van Ness Ave, Torrance, CA 90501-2236 in February. The current telephone number (213) 617-6825 will remain the same. Our website www.sushischool.net will also remain the same.
A 4,000-square-foot unit in a building at the corner of Torrance Blvd. and Van Ness Ave. faces the American Honda Motors headquarters to the east and the Old Torrance shopping district to the south.
We have been not only training sushi chefs but also giving advice on menu items for new restaurants and providing catering services for private parties. Over the past ten-years, we have reached maximum capacity at the Little Tokyo location.
The new facility will have two kitchens. The main kitchen will accommodate four big cooking tables for up to 10 students. The second kitchen is designated as a test kitchen for creating new menu items and taking photographs of dishes. The second kitchen will also be used for private lessons and Internet tutoring.
With the new facility, we will be able to expand the number of class offerings, provide more catering services and spend more time giving advice on job placements.
It seems that with this change, the Sushi Chef Institute could change into a big school. But that is not my intention. Even in the new building, our sushi chef training course will remain the same. I will continue to accept only 10 students at a time. A small class is ideal for teaching hands-on skills. I am proud that over my 10-years of teaching, I have taught over 1,000 chefs around the world.
By moving to this new location, I hope our sushi school becomes a more useful place for all people who promote Japanese foods.
The new facility will also accommodate Japanese culture classes in the same building. A-900 square-foot space will be designated as a multipurpose room. I would like to rent out this space for Japanese culture classes. The conditions and rent fee will be available upon request.
Andy Matsuda is the founder and the chief instructor of Sushi Chef Institute in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.sushischool.net or www.facebook.com/andy.matsuda.
