Jiro und das beste Sushi der Welt (2011)

Jiro und das beste Sushi der Welt: Directed by David Gelb. With Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto, Daisuke Nakazama. A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.

“Located in a downtown Tokyo subway station, Sukiyabashi Jiro is an inconspicuous subterranean restaurant with just ten counter seats, yet it has the distinction of being the only sushi restaurant with a three-star Michelin rating. David Gelbu0026#39;s meticulously produced 2012 documentary tells the story of Jiro Ono, an octogenarian perfectionist whose constant striving for culinary transcendence has made him legendary among epicureans in the know. He loves his job, as he readily admits upfront, and while a model of stoic diligence and invariable routine, Ono does show his adoration in unexpected ways that manifest themselves through the unassuming pride he takes in his work. He even imagines new sushi creations in his sleep, thus the title. Such an unwavering quest does take its toll on his two sons who must find their way out of his shadow.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHis younger son Takashi managed to escape the constant glare of his father by running his own premium sushi restaurant in the Roppongi Hills area of Tokyo, one that doesnu0026#39;t bother to compete with his fatheru0026#39;s. His older son Yoshikazu, however, bears the burden of the family legacy as the one to carry on his fatheru0026#39;s standards after he retires. Over fifty and still an apprentice, Yoshikazu patiently waits for his turn at running the flagship restaurant foregoing earlier dreams of becoming a race car driver. Since his father suffered a heart attack at seventy, he has taken over the critical task of getting the best fish possible at the world-renowned Tsukiji fish market. Gelb does a particularly nice job of showing the hurly-burly atmosphere of the pre-dawn tuna auctions and the lives of the men running the tiny stalls selling fresh seafood of all kinds. Perhaps by design, the film is comparatively more opaque in having us understand the genesis of the elder Onou0026#39;s drive toward perfection.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile one contributing factor was the absence of Onou0026#39;s fatheru0026#39;s absence, it is unclear who actually did influence him to become a sushi chef. There is also hardly a mention of the chefu0026#39;s wife, even though there is an extended passage of a reunion with his childhood pals who characterize him as something of a bully. Interviews with former co-workers shed some light onto the chefu0026#39;s stoicism. In fact, one of Japanu0026#39;s better known food critics admits to being intimidated by patronizing Onou0026#39;s sushi bar due to the masteru0026#39;s overwhelming artistry and attention to detail. Toward that end, I would have liked to have seen more scenes focused on the actual preparation of the sushi rather than simply admiring them on the counter once they are finished. Still, this is a unique look into a man who has not gone gentle into the good night in his quest for the perfect piece of sushi.”