Jiro Dreams of Sushi Page #3

until the customer arrives.

It's more work, but it's worth it.

Octopus is another example.

I always felt that my preparation

was decent.

But I've since refined my technique.

Back then, I would massage the octopus

for about thirty minutes.

Now, it is massaged

for forty to fifty minutes.

It's hard work for the apprentices.

Too often, octopus tastes like rubber.

It has no flavor.

We massage it to give it a soft texture.

To bring out the fragrance

of the octopus, we serve it warm.

Shokunin try to

get the highest quality fish

and apply their technique to it.

We don't care about money.

All I want to do

is make better sushi.

I do the same thing over and over,

improving bit by bit.

There is always a yearning

to achieve more.

I'll continue to climb,

trying to reach the top...

but no one knows where the top is.

Even at my age, after decades of work...

I don't think I have achieved perfection.

But I feel ecstatic all day...

I love making sushi.

That's the spirit of the shokunin.

When to quit?

The job that you've worked so hard for?

I've never once hated this job.

I fell in love with my work

and gave my life to it.

Even though I'm eighty five years old...

I don't feel like retiring.

That's how I feel.

When Jiro retires,

or when the inevitable happens...

Sushi may never reach

that level again.

But if Yoshikazu carries

on his father's legacy...

and continues Jiro's style

of only making the finest sushi...

other chefs may follow his lead...

and restaurants that focus only

on sushi may still flourish.

It's not going to be easy...

for Yoshikazu to succeed his father

at the same restaurant.

Even if Yoshikazu

makes the same level of sushi...

it will be seen as inferior.

If Yoshikazu makes sushi that's twice

as good as Jiro's,

only then will they be seen as equals.

That's how influential his father is.

Sometimes, when the father

is too successful,

the son can't surpass him.

The first place I worked at, Yoshino,

was a famous restaurant.

But when the son took over, all

the customers left and didn't come back.

It will be difficult.

I don't have anyone

to take over for me.

Jiro's ghost will always

be there, watching.

I think it will be difficult

when Jiro departs.

I wish my father could

make sushi forever.

But at some point I'm going

to have to take his place.

People tell me that I should preserve

what my father has built.

We've gone through a lot to maintain

the integrity of this restaurant.

I must continue my father's tradition.

Jiro stopped going to the fish market

at the age of seventy.

He collapsed while smoking a cigarette.

He had a heart attack.

It was after that he stopped

going to the fish market.

He felt that if he continued

to go to the fish market...

he wouldn't be able to pass

the torch to his son.

So...

The heart attack was a catalyst for

Yoshikazu to start going to the market.

FUJITA, TUNA DEALER

He's the undisputed champ.

That's not true.

They did a TV special about him

and even showed a re-run!

I'm humbled

that Jiro respects my taste.

My methods and standards are...

a little unusual compared

to other vendors.

It is encouraging

that he trusts me.

I'm what you might

call anti-establishment."

I either buy my first choice,

or I buy nothing.

If ten tuna are for sale,

only one can be the best.

I buy that one.

The first impression

is very important.

We have to predict what a fish will

be like based on experience and instinct.

I dig out a piece of flesh and examine it.

By checking the texture

with my fingers...

I can tell how good it will taste.

This is the basic process

of choosing the fish.

Not good.

People are saying

there are a lot of tuna here.

That's not true. This is nothing.

How is the halibut?

Good and fresh.

Okay, good.

His grandfather was known

as the god of sea eel."

He was a legend.

I've never met him in person...

but that's what I've heard.

Do you have octopus?

Yes.

Today's octopus is from...

Sajima?

- It's from Yokosuka.

Was the color too dark?

I don't care about the color.

It just has to taste good.

The flavor is all that matters.

This one is two kilograms,

and this one is a little smaller.

We are picky about who we sell to.

We want customers

who appreciate good fish.

Even at my age

I'm discovering new techniques.

But just when you think

you know it all,

you realize that you're just

fooling yourself...

and then you get depressed.

You must hold the shrimp firmly.

Put pressure on them.

If you hold them gently,

they'll try to escape.

Very few shrimp came in today.

They don't have any.

They didn't sell out.

No shrimp came in.

Just tell them that we sold out.

There were only three kilograms

of wild shrimp in this whole market.

That's all there were.

Everybody thinks

we always have shrimp.

But it's hard to find them.

Sometimes, when I see the shrimp

in the morning...

I'll say ah, this is worthy of Jiro."

That's the way I do business.

It's not about the money.

These days, the first thing people

want is an easy job.

Then, they want lots of free time.

And then, they want 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 they quit.

Have there been a lot

of cases like that?

People often suddenly quit and disappear.

They'll just leave without notice.

What's the shortest

an apprentice has lasted?

One day.

Really, one day.

They come in the morning

but by night they are gone.

I've always loved anything fast.

I wanted to

become a fighter pilot.

But, they don't accept people

with bad vision.

Then, I wanted

to be a race car driver.

But, I didn't have enough money.

You need a sponsor because

race cars are so expensive.

When I was a kid, I was sure

I would be an F1 racer.

You're a speed freak?

Yes, I'm crazy.

My car can go 300 kilometers per hour.

Hello, Sho-chan.

They wanted nappa

and mulukhiya cabbage.

How are you doing?

Not doing too well.

I want to retire.

You don't want to work?

I don't, but your dad

is working so hard.

Yeah, he's working hard.

He's working harder than I am.

He's full of energy.

Thank you, hope you feel better.

When you work for Jiro,

he teaches you for free.

But, you have to endure

ten years of training.

If you persevere for ten years...

You will acquire the skills

to be recognized as a first rate chef.

It's sad to see that there are

no very young apprentices at Jiro's.

Taking ten years to learn

the necessary skills...

is a long time compared

to other fields of work...

When did you want

to become a sushi chef?

I was about seventeen.

I needed a job,

but couldn't decide what to do.

I wanted to do something

with food...

and sushi is the coolest food.

I went to several restaurants,

but the sushi here was the best.

So, I applied for the job.

The atmosphere was different too.

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