Testimonials

Sushi is so different from western cuisine. The most impressive moment in class for me was filleting a whole fish. The art of sushi making has given me a great appreciation for the Japanese nation, culture and for sushi cuisine. I’m grateful I was able to study in this school. The teachers and staff are great and very helpful. I would like to thank them for all of their services. My advice for the new students is to study, sharpen your knives every day, and do not hesitate to ask Sensei any questions.

The art of sushi has changed two things in my life: first one was my technique. Before I joined this school I didn’t know how to cook. But now I learned how to cook and always cook for my family. Second the way to think about sushi bar. Before I joined here I thought sushi Bar needs only one person to do everything. But now, I think we need team work for sushi bar. I learned it from this school. So when I leave this school, I will remember “team work”. And I want to say “Thanks for teaching our class and the importance of team work”.

I like Japanese culture and love the art of food, and sushi is very cute. So, I want to be a sushi chef and share it with people, which is why I joined this class. What excites me about sushi is presentation. For example, I took lessons for decorating food, and I learned we can make sushi beauti…

I really value the skills I developed in presentation and decoration here at the institute. I had a great time during the live seafood demos. I’m excited about all of the different kinds of fish and the true art of plating. This course was very in depth about Japanese cuisine. It was a great investment and well worth the cost and the time. My fillet and fish cutting skills have greatly improved over the last 2 months. I can’t wait to make special rolls and sashimi at the restaurant. My palate has become very sensitive since being here, especially after eating meals prepared with so few ingredients. This course has drastically changed my life. My confidence as a woman in the kitchen has improved so much. In an industry that has been dominated by men for hundreds of years I feel comfortable, thanks to all of Chef Andy and Saburo Sensei’s support. Thank you for educating us the true art which is Japanese cuisine. You are so knowledgeable, patient and make sushi fun! I will make it to the top and make you proud!

I developed the valuable skill of making nigiri here. Along with that I learned how important patience is. I enjoyed the fish preparation lessons, and I am really excited about the art that sushi truly is, and I am so glad I learned how to make sushi in a professional way. Sushi bar set up was quite an experience. I will share the skills I have learned here with my friends. I am looking forward to making maki rolls at home. I can definitely tell when fish is fresh now. I’m going to miss our shared time at lunch. Thank you for being patient with me, and for teaching me your techniques and skills.

I took this class to help my staff at my restaurant improve. We plan to open a new restaurant and we wanted a strong foundation to set us apart. Cutting fish from guts, to fillet is definitely a skill I developed here that I value. I enjoyed cutting whole fish. I also liked learning how to properly use my knives. I enjoyed the Japanese cooking we learned other than sushi as well. The tradition behind the coking was very interesting. Sushi is always evolving so the learning never really stops. My netta cutting and filleting totally improved and I can’t wait to a fusion of traditional and modern sushi when I get back to my restaurant. I will always remember our team. We all worked really well together. I can’t thank SCI enough. I will forever be grateful and I will do my best to maintain and preserve the traditions.

It was an intense course. The first month was hard for me. I have never worked in a kitchen before. The second month was easier and better for me. Andy sensei is a traditional Japanese style instructor. Once I got used to it, he was easy to follow. Overall, I love this course. I learned a lot. Thank you.

I have learned a lot, not only about Japanese cuisine and sushi, but also about teamwork and my place in life. I gained a deep appreciation for the people working in restaurants and their dedication to the mastery of the art of sushi making and their burning passion. The class was engaging and interactive. It promotes autonomy and creativity. It is something I’ve never experienced before, because I’ve always sat in a classroom only listening to lectures. I’m graduating from SCI with a sense of pride in my newly acquired skills and hope that makes me expect more out of life than I could ever imagine. I’m grateful for this exciting and inspiring experience.

I enrolled in this class to learn what a sushiman should, and must do. The decorative aspect of sushi excites me. My taste has changed after developing a stronger knowledge of sushi. My roll making and nigiri skills have greatly improved, especially after sushi bar. I believe that fish cutting, nigiri, and sashimi are the most valuable skills I will take from this class. I enjoyed learning the 8 step nigiri making process. I’m looking forward to making sushi and noodle dishes for my family. Sensei Andy works hard with us. He is kind of like a superman. He works so hard. I love him and hope to stay in contact always.

SCI teaches you what you need to know more than anything else. You get a variety of lessons, but the fundamentals are stressed. Each lesson is put into a Japanese historical context so they are given deeper meaning. More than just taking food lessons-you are given a cultural context which makes everything more significant. I enjoy and appreciate everything I learned.

I learned a lot in the course. I knew the basics, but not all of the details I learned here. It was a unique experience to learn, practice and participate in different events (i.e. demos, catering). Now I have another view of the Japanese Cuisine, and I have other views of quality, presentation, products, and more.
I’m very happy, and the course was all I expected it to be. I developed a vision of Japanese cuisine. When I return to work, I will have more ideas and details for decorations and appetizers. I’m going back with a vision I did not know before. It was a great course for me and I have great opportunities ahead. Thank you.

I have truly enjoyed the entire course as equal. I came to SCI with no knowledge of Japanese cuisine, how to prepare sushi, rice, cutting sushi grade fish, and the Japanese flavors and traditions. In 2 months I have learned so much!! I can understand fish more and their different cuts, and what they are used for . My favorite lesson has been cutting and filleting fish. I will use everything I have learned and combine it with my Spanish fundamentals and foundations to create a Japanese/Spanish fusion.

I enjoyed a lot of the class. My favorite lesson would probably be cutting whole fish, because although it is difficult, when you do it clean and correct it feels very satisfying. I hope to take my new knowledge and continue to grow as a chef and person.

I had no cooking experience before taking this course. I had no idea about sushi, and I met Chef Andy and my life has changed. This school is definitely the best place to learn and sushi, and also about Japanese culture. Thanks to Chef Andy and thanks to Amie. This was a great time and great experience. I am glad to be a part of the SCI family. I will miss everyone.

This has been one of the best learning experiences I have ever had in my life. Learning of fundamentals and basic Japanese cooking gave knowledge about how the food can be an art. It is a good skill to have. My favorite lesson has been working together and its importance. My benefits from this class are: being able to make healthy foods to consume and serve, and increasing my income.