Raw Delight: Talking Sushi with Chef Morio Sakayori

Japan native Morio Sakayori didn’t begin his cooking career till age 29 – but has since carved a name for himself in San Diego, Hong Kong and now Beijing. Agenda met with him inside his restaurant Morio, where he taught us the proper way to eat sushi, and that you are never too old to pursue your dreams.

What initially drew you to Beijing?
I was born in a city called Chiba, right outside Tokyo. I lived in San Diego, California for two years, then moved to Hong Kong for seven years. While working at the Harbor Plaza Hotel there, they launched a new project in Beijing and requested my services. So I moved here eleven years ago to work as a restaurant manager and chef. Fortunately when I was in America, I studied hotel management, which gave me good experience and knowledge for this position.

How does Beijing’s culinary scene compare to other cities?
I think restaurant business in Beijing is more globalized – that’s why it has high standards for everything, including quality of service, atmosphere and staff. I myself have implemented daily training for Morio’s staff.

How’d you start cooking, and when did your career take off?
My father was a monk, so he took education very seriously. By the time I was about six or seven years old, my father said I had to start helping out with the family chores. He got me started on peeling the potatoes, but it was very, very boring. Once I reached high school, the fashion movement from America was coming in, so I started a part-time job as a server to make money to buy clothes. When it came time to attend university, I was accepted but didn’t go. My parents were very angry, but I didn’t care at the time. Then at 20 years old, one of my friends started working at a nightclub – and at that time, they weren’t just about drinking and dancing, but also about eating. I had never eaten such high-class restaurant food, and I became very interested in it. But it wasn’t my goal to go professional – I had just gotten married, so I opened up a cafe bar. Some years later, I decided I wanted to study how to make good food, so I entered cooking school and picked up some skills. I finally started my cooking career at age 29.

What is the proper etiquette for eating sushi?
The way to eat sushi is part of the culture, a basic skill. No matter where you come from, you must appreciate Japanese culture to study the food. If you don’t love the culture, you can’t enjoy the fresh fish.

For a high-class restaurant, the style of eating sushi is very important. First, pour only a splash of soy sauce. Then use only the freshest wasabi, and don’t mix it all in immediately. Just place a tiny bit on the side, dab it and mix the slightest bit in, just to make sure it’s well-distributed. Finally, pick up the sashimi, dip it and roll it around in the soy sauce. After you’ve made sure both sides are covered, take a chunk of wasabi and put it on top.

The most important thing to remember is to not overdo the soy sauce and wasabi – that is the biggest mistake that people make. The wasabi, soy sauce and fish all have individual flavors that you need to taste – don’t mix it in the bowl, mix it in your mouth.

What makes Morio’s sushi unique?
I always use very high-quality seafood – the freshest fish and fresh organic vegetables to create new styles of sushi. We also serve Chinese food based on our interpretations. Westerners tend to like my USA rolls, which have unagi, shrimp tempura and avocado, but my signature dish is the thinly sliced flounder fish with balsamic soy and extra virgin olive oil.

What dishes do you recommend for people who have qualms about eating raw fish?
My California rolls would be a good start – they have salmon, cooked sushi shrimp and cooked egg instead of imitation crab. I can’t find any good imitation crab here, which is why I use salmon and shrimp instead. Or they should try my Beijing rolls with Japanese roast duck breast and asparagus.

What’s your favorite food in the whole wide world, and where do you find it in Beijing?
Japanese food is of course my favorite, but I also love Italian, Thai and Western food. I go to Metro right nearby for Italian food and Da Dong for Chinese.

Morio J-Cuisine. Daily 10am-2.30pm, 5.30-10.30pm. 1/F, Jia 7 Gongti Xilu, Chaoyang District. (6551 6999) 朝阳区工体西路7
Da Dong Roast Duck. Daily 11am-10pm. 5/F, Jinbao Dasha, Jinbao Jie, Dongcheng District. (8522 1234) 东城区金宝街金宝大厦5层
Metro. Daily 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm, 9 Gonti Xilu, Chaoyang District (6552 7828) 朝阳区工体西路9