Sushi classes outside of sushi school are expanding

Cultural News, 2009 December Issue

Andy Matsuda’s Sushi School / Cutting board talk

By Chef Andy Matsuda

Chef Andy Matsuda Sushi Chef Institute

Chef Andy Matsuda (Couetesy of Sushi Chef Institute)

As the year 2009 is ending soon, I would like to send my seasonal greeting to readers of Cultural News.

Oshogatsu means literally the first month of the year, and Oshogatsu is considered as the New Year celebration during the first three days of January in Japan.

The Oshogatsu Family Day will take place on Sunday, Jan. 3, from 11:00 a.m. at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles. They will celebrate the occasion with a lots of Japanese cultural programs.

At 1:00 p.m., I will explain about “Mochi” (rice cake) as typical food of New Year’s celebration. I also will demonstrate the cooking of Zoni soup with mochi. The Zoni soup recipes vary due to regions and family traditions in Japan.

You may trace your family trees by analyzing the ingredients of the soup. At the end of my class, I will serve mochi desserts to the participants. Maximum are 30 people. For reservation and fee, please contact the museum at (213) 625-0414.

By the way, the rest of the Oshogatsu Family Day event in the museum will be free all day.

Recently I am asked to give more classes outside of our school. Sur La Table is a national chain of kitchen wares such as the finest cookware, dinnerware, cutlery and so on. Their cooking class program is one of the largest in the nation. I started to teach at the Original Farmer’s Market location of Sur La Table in November. The class was full with six people in the waiting list.

When I will return to Sur La Table on Monday, Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m., I will teach “Sushi with the Master” class with hands-on instruction.  Sur La Table at the Original Farmer’s Market is located at 6333 West Third Street, LosAngeles, CA 90036. The fee is $79. For sign up, call (800) 243-0852. For more information, email cooking027@surlatable.com or call (323) 954-0121. Their website is www.surlatable.com. I will also come back to Sur La Table on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

At Surfas Restaurant Supply and Gourmet Food in Culver City, I already have sushi demonstration several times. As my next appearance, I will teach “Sushi Basic: Box and Tsutsumi Sushi” on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 12:00 noon at its test kitchen. Surfas is located at 8777 West Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, (310) 559-4770, www.surfaslosangeles.com.

Andy Matsuda is the founder and the chief instructor of Sushi Chef Institute in Los Angeles. For more information about SCI, visit www.sushischool.net.