Hospitality Management - Sushi - Essay Example

HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT Name Course Instructor’s Name Date SUSHI Introduction Food is an essential element in the society. It helps promote culture, is a basic need and is used as an avenue of artistic expression (Gillespie & Cousins, 2001). Cultural components, social sciences and natural sciences do influence the art of food (Montanari, 2006). This is done through discovery of new cuisines, tastes, experiences, research, and knowledge about food. When dealing with food, its not just a matter of cooking it, there are various elements that are in play to ensure that taking foods and drinks is an enjoyable process (Hjalager & Richards, 2002). Sushi is a Japanese cuisine that is widely consumed around the world, and a must have dish in Japan during special occasions (Fukuoka, 2003). Sushi is dish that entails traditions and therefore, there is need to teach and encourage development of skills in handling sushi, making available sushi choices, give guidance in relation to when to eat it, where to eat it, how to eat it, in what manner it should be consumed, and in what combinations sushi should be consumed (Kittler & Sucher, 2007). This allows the consumer to derive total enjoyment, fulfilment and immense pleasure. Due to a rise in curiosity of other cultural practices in lifestyles, food especially sushi has been a point of interest. People from a certain culture will eat or opt not to eat a certain food based on their culture, which is a point of interest to other cultures. This has led to food tourism. Sushi as form of food has played a key role in running of hospitality industries (Negi & Manoher, 2009). People need to learn sushi culture, components and histories of sushi, in order to develop and sustain enjoyment and pleasures of eating and drinking the dish, and enhance quality experiences by clients. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyse and discuss the importance of sushi dishes as a form of food in hospitality industry. The History of Sushi. Sushi started out as a preserved dish. The sushi dish contains cooked rice mixed with vinegar and fish and edible seafood are used as toppings and rolled. Sashimi is raw fish that is sliced while sheets of seaweeds are used for the rolls. Tofu refers to a pouch filled with toppings and chirashi-zushi is a bowl filled with sushi rice and the fish scattered all over it. The sushi dish is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia, and the method used to prepare it was meant for preservation (Fukuoka, 2003). Salted fish and the rice which was fermented was a good source of protein. The science behind the fermented rice is that the vinegar developed from the rice fermenting, the fish breaks down into amino acids which forms the various basic tastes associated with sushi. This type of sushi from fermented rice was called nare-zushi. Sushi is a dish that has culturally evolved over the years, but still holds the basic element of taste and nutrition. During the era of Hei, sushi was brought into Japan and called it seisei-zushi due to their preference of eating rare fish with sushi. In Japan, sushi changed its element of being a preserved food to a delicacy. Afterwards, during the era of Edo, the Japanese intensified the tastes and flavour of sushi by adding vinegar to rice, use of vegetables among other nutritious preserved dishes (Fukuoka, 2003). This type of sushi was called haya-zushi. Due to the effects of the Great Kanto earthquake, nigiri-zushi chefs which was a type of sushi which was created from fresh fish and delicious seaweeds and sold in mobile food kiosks, moved all over Japan, spreading the art of making nigiri-zushi. From the late seventies, the world easily accepted sushi as a delicious cuisine due to its health benefits, thus development of sushi bars in most of the developed countries like United States and in Britain. Increased capacity production of sushi has been created by introduction of sushi machines, thus increasing new markets and market share for sushi dishes globally. Sushi Dish and Hospitality industry. Effective and sufficient hospitality industry cannot succeed without incorporating food. Hospitality management can be referred in either as a discipline or as a practice. As a discipline, it refers to studying the management of hotel industry, travel and tourism and other related fields (Negi & Manoher, 2009). As a practice, it is the management and running of the hotel, travel and tourism industries and adapting the best practices in order to give the best service. Hospitality management is integral in food science, since people seek their services when they want to eat, drink, travel, lodge, visit entertainment spots like movie theatres and casinos (Anderson, 2005). Sushi has formed a basis of most hospitality industry in hotel, travel and tourism sectors. This is because sushi is an international dish, entails traditions, propel the Japanese culture and not withstanding is the fact that sushi is very nutritional, thus increasing the quality of dining experience for a client. The dish has influenced the industry in that the dish instils respect, social integration and promotes communication since it is a community-based food. Therefore, Personnel involved in the food industry need to learn communication skills, customer care services, patience, their client’s tastes and preferences, what influence their client’s choices and attentiveness in order to be able to handle their clients, solve arising issues like unsatisfied customers, manage crises, represent the firm they work for well, and execute their hospitality duties well (Karl & Bode, 2008). Most hospitality management has incorporated sushi dishes in their menu to promote cultural exchange. This is done by incorporating components of sushi and principles on production and consumption of sushi. In the United States, there are numerous sushi bars although not all offer authentic sushi experiences and dishes, allow Japanese traditions to travel overseas since sushi is presented, served, consumed in a certain Japanese tradition. Sushi as a dish enjoys the position of being the type of cuisine that can be enjoyed by all people despite their religious affiliations or cultural beliefs. Muslims and the Indian community and other cultural settings do not eat meat products or from pork and beef respectively. This is no hindrance to eating sushi, since there are sushis that are made from tasty seaweeds and other traditional nutritious vegetables, and exclude the option of having fish for the toppings. This is a plus for sushi dish, hence increasing profitability for the hotel industry stuck with issues of vegetarians. Foods encompass and forms a platform for free expression and fine arts (Hjalager &Richards, 2002). This entails use of music, dance, paintings, and literature among other areas of fine arts when dining and sushi is no exception. There is a type of sushi that accrues very high revenues for hospitality management that offers it. The sushi is the Nyotaimori or the naked sushi. The sushi is served by naked waitresses apart from tiny clothing or a thong and two leaves to cover both breasts, and it is believed it is along standing Japanese tradition. This forms a feeling of authenticity and an experience like no other since they are common in Yakuza Japanese Party and private parties. Through place based tourism, the search for the spirit and identity of places that tourists visit, foods and drinks form the major components in evaluating, understanding, promoting, developing and sustaining cultural heritage of a place (Kawasumi, 2002). Sushi dishes have created food tourism, which helps add value to the place being visited and improves the quality of experience to the tourist. This diversity has been used to reinforce international relations and implementation of globalization processes. It has been established that a food tourist’s satisfaction or dissatisfaction levels are affected majorly by culture of food that is sushi, followed by prices, quality of food service delivery, and finally by atmosphere or the environment. Sushi as form of food tourism is a good source of foreign investments and a source of revenues (Karl &Bode, 2008). Since people are influenced by food in the places they visit, eat and drink at, sushi as a form of food has been used as an advertising tool to lure potential clients and maintaining their customers (Wood &Brotherton, 2008). Many high class resorts, hotels, tourist destinations, and travelling systems like cruise ships and airlines, have invested heavily to television advertising, use of travel-loges and journals, billboards, newsletters, newspapers and magazines and other forms of advertising. Using sushi cuisine as a catch in food advertising, they inform the public about the food service they offer, where they can be found, service deliveries like food home delivery services, what makes their foods different and other additional food services and products on offer (Anderson, 2005). Through advertisements, either they can offer means available for making dinner or luncheon reservations, increase market share, create competition among companies with similar products and services, and create new markets. Food has been used in the hospitality industry to meet the needs of the client in creating a home away from home experience, and sushi is such one dish (Kittler & Sucher, 2007). In United States, a Japanese themed resort encompasses food settings just as it is done in Japan. This encourages influx of Japanese tourist in the US, to come and stay to remind them what they left at home, and Americans who cannot afford or do not have time to travel to Japan, experience Japanese delicacies in their own backyards (Montanari, 2006). Types of Sushi Sushi dishes are available in very many varieties due to use of different toppings, condiments, fillings and seaweeds used for rolling, and how the ingredients are combined (Fukuoka, 2003). However, there is one ingredient that is the denominator and that is sushi rice. Sushi rice is different from the regular rice because it is composed of rice that is short grained, has different kind of rice vinegars that produce different colors, it is cooked with water, sugar, salt, kelp and some instances sake is used. Nigiri-zushi is composed of balls of rice with fish as the toppings. Varieties of fish used for nigiri-zushi are shrimps, eel, squid, and tuna among others. Oshizushi is a sushi dish in which a wooden box containing sushi rice and fish is pressed onto it. Inarizushi comprises of a pouch or tofu bags filled with sushi rice. Other type of sushi is chirashi-zushi which contains sushi rice with toppings of mushrooms, seafood and vegetables spread and scattered all over it (Fukuoka, 2003). The western-style sushi was created to favor western palates by incorporating familiar flavors into sushi. They include California rolls, Seattle rolls and salmon skin rolls among others. Presentation, Consumption, and components of Gastronomy in Sushi Dishes. Gastronomy refers to incorporation of food and culture in order to increase the quality of experience when eating and drinking (Karl & Bode, 2008). Sushi is a form of cuisine that promotes culture, incorporates fine arts like music, paintings among others as indicated in gastronomy through its preparation, its presentation and its consumption. Before ordering sushi in a sushi bar, one is required to strike a conversation with whoever they find there since sushi is about community. The table setting of sushi contains a napkin, a hashi oki which holds the chopsticks, a small dish containing soy sauce and a plate. Before taking sushi, one sips sake served in a cup without handles. For a female they are advised to support the cup with one hand and hold the cup with the other. When picking up sushi, first rub the chopsticks together; do not use the sharp end to pick it up but the other side from the serving tray (Fukuoka, 2003). It is advisable you do not lean the chopsticks on the edge of the plate, use the hashi oki to rest them. Momentarily sip green tea while eating sushi. To soften or to accompany sushi to increase its flavor, dip it slightly into Japanese soy sauce, since dipping it deeply is regarded as being greedy. In most cases, wasabi; a green paste that is chilly is used as an accompaniment. It is usually placed on the bowl with the soy sauce (Kawasumi, 2002). When eating sushi. Begins with the slice of fish which is the sashimi with chopsticks and savor the delicacy, and then eat the sushi rice. Dip the roll into the soy sauce, the toppings side down to avoid making the roll soggy, and place it just them say way into the mouth. It is disrespectful to take a piece of roll and return it to the plate, therefore, eat each piece of roll in one mouthful (Fukuoka, 2003). You can eat pickled ginger using chopsticks to help clean the palate. When you are done, ensure your plate is clean with no left-over, since it is considered as an act of rudeness. Conclusion Food is an essential element in the society. It helps promote culture, is a basic need and is used as an avenue of artistic expression. Cultural components, social sciences and natural sciences do influence the art of food. Sushi is a Japanese cuisine that is widely consumed around the world, and a must have dish in Japan during special occasions. The sushi dish contains cooked rice mixed with vinegar and fish and edible seafood are used as toppings and rolled. Sashimi is raw fish that is sliced while sheets of seaweeds are used for the rolls. Tofu refers to a pouch filled with toppings and chirashi-zushi is a bowl filled with sushi rice and the fish scattered all over it. References Kawasumi. K. (2002). The Encyclopedia of Sushi Rolls. Tokyo: Japan Publications Trading. Fukuoka. Y. (2003). Sushi! Tokyo: Running Press. Karl, W. & Bode, H. 2008. European gastronomy: the story of man's food and eating customs. Bedford: University of Virginia Digitized. Kinmont, B. 2004. Gastronomy: a catalogue of books and manuscripts on cookery, nutrition, gardening, domestic economy, perfume, and wine 1480-2002. New York: Kinmont Bookseller. Kittler, P.G. & Sucher, K. 2007. Food and culture. London: Cengage Learning. Montanari, M. 2006. Food is culture. New York: Columbia University Press Anderson, E.N. 2005. Everyone eats: understanding food and culture. New York: NYU Press. Gillespie, C. & Cousins, J.A. 2001. European gastronomy into the 21st century. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Hjalager, A. & Richards, G. 2002. Tourism and gastronomy; Routledge advances in tourism. London: Routledge. Negi, J. & Manoher, G. 2009. Hospitality Management. Liverpool: Laxmi Publications Pvt Ltd. Wood, R.C. & Brotherton, B. 2008. The Sage handbook of hospitality management. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Read More