Jiro Ono is the owner of a small shushi restaurant stationed on the bottom floor of an office building. He works tirelessly from morning until late at night, when he goes home to sleep and prepare for work the next day. Jiro is unlike many business owners of today. He is old, at 85 years, and still works his fingers to the bone, trying harder each day to improve his craft. He doesn't work for the money he makes, only for the pleasure of serving the finest sushi.
The film is separated into a few parts starting with an overview of the restaurant and how Jiro runs it. The viewer gets an excellent example of Jiro's work ethic here as it is described in the film as ceaseless, yet pleasurable. Jiro works with his sons and a few apprentices as the meticulously select and prepare fish to be made into sushi for customers. In this section, the viewer finds out how great this restaurant is from a writer who tells about how Michelin awarded the restaurant three stars for its quality, something unheard of for such a small business. There is also a short segment where a man comes in to find out about reservations to eat there. He is told that reservations must be made at least a month in advance, and that the price would start at about 30,000 yen (roughly $200). The price may be steep, but each interviewee explains that it is worth every cent. Jiro takes his craft seriously, and does not cut any corners.
Quality is a big concern for this restaurant. In the next section the viewer gets to see how each piece of food is selected. The only vendors they trust to find them quality food are ones that are experts in their field, selling only one specific item. This ensures that they know enough to select only quality cuts. Many of the vendors explain that they select the item for sale based on how they feel Jiro would like it. If it is not up to his standards, they won't sell it to anyone.
The next section shows a meal being served. Jiro works quickly, yet delicately to prepare each piece of sushi for everyone seated around his workstation. Altogether, he creates twenty pieces per person. It is explained that he has refined his craft so much that he has a specific order for serving his food. As one man explains it, it is like a symphony, with different movements for your pallet. After the dinner service is over, Jiro has a short talk with the customers and tells them how he decided to prepare and place his food. For women, he makes smaller portions so that everyone can finish at the same time. He even takes note of the customers dominant hand so that he can place the sushi down closer to it.
The last section explains the future of the restaurant. While Jiro has no inclination to retire any time soon, should anything happen to him, he feels that the restaurant is in good hands. He has taught his son for many years, and feels that he would be an excellent person to take over the restaurant. The final shots of the film show how his son manages the kitchen already, showing that he has a very skilled demeanor and a great work ethic, much like his father. The viewer is left feeling the same as Jiro, as though the restaurants quality will be preserved for the future.
Overall, this film was fantastic. The creators did a great job finding the personality in everyone in the film, and expressing that to the viewer. Throughout the film, it is explained that Jiro has changed very little since he was younger, and that is easily viewable. Although he is very disciplined in his work, and takes it very seriously, he has a very playful attitude, making jokes, and laughing at things he finds funny.
Another thing the viewer is able to experience is a slight tension because they are unsure of what will happen to the restaurant in the future. Jiro is old, as explained before, and he is said to be the best at what he does. One man who was interviewed said that even if his sons take over, and if they are just as skilled as Jiro was, that the business might not succeed. Jiro was so respected that others might not want to eat sushi that wasn't created by him. However, this tension is relieved at the very end where, as explained, the viewer is comforted by how well the son seems to be taking care of the restaurant already.
This was a seriously excellent film. Although documentaries are not something I typically watch, and I have no interest in sushi, I would recommend this film to anyone. I was entertained the entire time, forgetting that I had no previous interest in any of the topics. This proves how good of a film this was.
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