Testimonials

since I joined the class I realized there is so much more to know about Japanese cuisine and its techniques. My favorite activity in the course was the daily roll making and nigiri drills. During those practice drills we were getting instantaneous feedback from sensei on our posture, technique, how we were using our hands. That’s information that you cannot find online, also You are going to eat a lot of sushi!

Before coming to school I thought we will be making basic sushi rolls and nigiri and basic fish that we get at common sushi restaurants like salmon, tuna, unagi, but the school has exceeded my expectations. We go to practice with cutting rolls, Nigiri, many different kinds of fish, cutting and plating them, we had practice drills everyday. My expectations are highly exceeded.

I enrolled in the course simply to expand my culinary repertoire, not realizing that people come from all over the world to study under Chef Andy, including Japan.  Nor did I realize that some of the world’s best restaurants recruit from SCI.  The level of intensity and professionalism is unparalleled.  This is 3 star Michelin chef kind of sushi.

My expectation now is to keep learning and growing as the art of sushi making is a never ending quest for perfection. 

My favorite activity included the fish filleting, the history of Japan, and that you learn a lot of new techniques. Be careful and listen very well to all the information. The stuff that chef Andy teaches applies for the real world. The curriculum is great, you start from the basics and even for experienced chefs like me, there is a lot to learn.

I didn’t have any experience before coming, but now I got 2 months of experience and it’s been very successful for me. I feel absolute happiness and confidence for all that I learned. The whole program is full of new knowledge, information, I think it’s a good amount of information for a professional start.

I quit my job to start this program. When I first came I thought the class was going to be only sushi roll, sushi roll and sushi roll. There is a lot of Japanese culture involved and gives you a different view on sushi. Everything was new for me, but I acquired new skills. The curriculum is good, everyday is something new. Pay a lot of attention because it’s very fast and intensive. There’s always eyes on you while you work ready to give you feedback.

When I first came here my expectation was that it was going to be focused in only just sushi, roll making, nigiri, very common things. What I actually gained from the experience was quite a bit more than that. Not just breaking down the fish, but a passion for all of Japanese cuisine and the simplicity and the beauty and finding it to be more an art than what I expected to find.

I decided to take this class because I have a passion to discover all the techniques and knowledge of traditional Japanese cuisine that is hidden behind the curtains. The marinating techniques and different fish processing methods I learned here are priceless. I enjoyed every moment I had in this class. I had so much fun while learning. My taste buds have changed while I have been here. I know the difference between low and high quality fish now.
Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to learn what you have worked so hard to achieve. I know 2 months is a short time, but I will work hard to implement everything I learned in this class into my future.

I found knife skills the most valuable thing. I really enjoyed learning how to cut and clean the fish. I’m looking forward to experimenting with new ingredients and making new sushi. I will remember the new friends I have made, the professors, the staff, the guest chefs and sushi bar. Sushi bar really helped me see how to improve my weaknesses. The art of sushi has impacted me a lot in just 2 months. It has inspired me to want to own my own restaurant one day. Thank you, Sensei Andy Matsuda, for your knowledge and for inspiring me to love this new craft.

Coming to SCI was a life changing experience. No only learning about sushi and improving skills, I have learned so much more. Being with people from different cultures and learning to work with them as a team was a really fun experience.

Perhaps the most memorable experience I can take away from this class is finding closeness with my peers and building relationships. We found inspiration from the class and from each other.
The classes are fun. Technical skills are the key to success. Our connection with each other is what makes everything worthwhile. Chef Andy is a World of wisdom and experience. His mentorship and guidance are invaluable.

I enjoyed every skill we learned from sushi to sashimi. Coming from a non-cooking background, this course has helped me on the fun beginner, to advanced levels. My favorite lesson was plating sushi and sashimi, it helps better understand the 3 elements of moritsuke: ten, chi, jin

First of all, I would like to thank Sensei Andy Matsuda, for all the support, skills, talent, heart and for the Sushi Chef Institute. For giving us a place to learn and practice to become an excellent sushi chef. In only 2 months, I have learned a wide range of delicious Japanese cooking techniques, from proper sushi rice making, knife skills, nigiri, all kinds of rolls. I would have never imagined that I could be a sushi chef in such a short period of time. I am so proud of myself now. I promise I will learn more, and work harder in this field to further develop my new skills. Again, thank you Sensei Andy Matsuda!

Andy Sensei is a good instructor. He not only leads us into the sushi World, but also shows us Japanese culture, history, and gives us advice about our careers. Two months went by so fast here. We are so busy learning so many things every day. We do everything from scratch. I had no prior kitchen experience, but after 2 months I know so much about kitchen stuff! How to cook rice, how to prep cut and serve so many kinds of fish, how to make rolls, nigiri, etc…Sensei, I will keep learning and practicing. I hope to see you in the future.

At the Sushi Chef Institute, I gained a lot of knowledge about Japanese cuisine. My favorite lesson learned was about fileting a lot of different kinds of fish. I will try my best to use my new skills from SCI in my dishes and throughout my chef career.