I would see ideas in my dreams. My mind was bursting with ideas. In dreams, I would have visions of sushi.
Once you decide on an occupation you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That is the key to success and to being regarded honorably.
Restaurant critic: I have eaten at every sushi place in Tokyo. Jiro’s was by far the best.
What eating at Jiro’s is like: It is comfortable for people who like to have sushi served at a fast pace. But for people who want to drink and eat slowly, it won’t be a comfortable eating experience.
All of the sushi is simple. It is completely minimal. Jiro’s in a nutshell: Ultimate simplicity leads to purity.
Reservations are mandatory. At least a month in advance. The price starts at 30,000 yen [roughly $300] No drinks. No appetizers. We only serve sushi.
For fast eaters, a meal might only last 15 minutes. In that sense, it is the most expensive restaurant in the world. People are convinced it is worth the price.
Jiro repeats the same routine every day. He wants to get back to work as soon as possible. It is unthinkable for normal people.
If it doesn’t taste good you can not serve it. That is why I always taste the food before serving it.
I have never seen a chef who is so hard on himself. He sets the standard for self-discipline. He is always looking ahead. He is never satisfied with his work. He is always trying to find ways to make his sushi better.
He is a better leader than a collaborator.
He just works relentlessly every day. That’s how shokunin [Japanese word for artisan or craftsman] are. The way of the shokunin is to repeat the same thing every day. They just want to work. They aren’t trying to be special.
Every vendor Jiro uses must specialize. The tuna vendor works exclusively with tuna. The shrimp vendor only works with shrimp. Each vendor is a specialist in their field. We are experts in sushi but each vendor is more knowledgable in their specialty. We have built a relationship of trust with them.
Critic: I have never had a disappointing experience there. That is nothing short of a miracle.
His son who also runs a sushi restaurant: My father’s skill is incomparable. He has been making sushi since before I was born. So there’s nothing I can do to top him. [This part reminded me of this quote from Steve Jobs: I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance. Steve is saying don’t quit. ]
His son again: When I left to open my own restaurant Jiro said there is no coming back. You have no home to come back to. Failure was not an option.
Jiro: When you open your own restaurant you need to be tough. I told him to leave and open this restaurant because I knew he could do it. But I told him there was no turning back. You must make your own way. When I say things like this people often disagree. But when I left home at the age of 9 that is what I was told. You have no home to come back to. That is why you must work hard. I was on my own. I didn’t want to sleep under a bridge, so I worked to survive. That has never let me. I worked even if the boss kicked and slapped me.
Nowadays parents tell their children You can return if it doesn’t work out. When parents say stupid things like that the children turn out to be failures.
My father was making good money taking people on boat rides. But his business failed and his life fell apart. All he did was drink. I lived with him until I was 7. I was on my own after that. I never heard from him again.
Jiro started out as an apprentice. Was paid almost nothing. When he got married he only had 10 yen [less than $1]. His sons would save up for months just to buy one can of Coca-Cola.
Jiro worked so much when the kids were little that one time he was oversleeping on a Sunday and his sons yelled that there was a stranger in the house. He left for work before they woke up and returned after they went to bed. “I wasn’t much of a father.”
Jiro: We came back to work after World War II. The masters said that the history of sushi is so long that nothing new could be invented. They may have mastered their craft but there is always room for improvement. I created sushi dishes that never existed back then. I would make sushi in my dreams. I would jump out of bed with ideas.
Shokunin try to get the highest quality fish and then apply their technique to it. We don’t care about money. All I want to do is make better sushi.
I don’t think I have achieved perfection. I love making sushi. I am 85. I don’t feel like retiring.
These days people want an easy job, lots of free time, lots of money. But they aren’t thinking of building their skills. When you work at a place like Jiro’s you are committing to a trade for life. Most people can’t keep up with the hard work and quit.
Without good taste, you can’t make good food.
When I am making the sushi I feel victorious.
Jiro was a troublemaker when he was young: Always doing what you are told doesn’t mean you will succeed in life.
I have been able to carry on with the same job for 75 years. It is hard to slow down.
Jiro’s son: Always strive to elevate your craft. That is what Jiro taught me.
