Sushi-making with World Sushi Cup Champions by Norwegian Seafood Council

World Sushi Cup champions Sky Tai and Leon Yap led media participants in a hands-on sushi-making class organised by the Norwegian Seafood Council at KDU University recently. Norwegian Ambassador Gunn Jorid  Roset and Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit, Norwegian Seafood Council’s Regional Director, South-East Asia, also joined in the session, learning sushi techniques from the world-class sushi chefs.

(From right) Chef Leon with his award-winning sushi creation that clinched him as overall champion World Sushi Cup 2019, beside him is Norwegian Ambassador Gunn Jorid Roset, Sensei Hirotoshi Ogawa (middle), Norwegian Seafood Council’s South-East Asia Regional Director Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit and 2018 champion Chef Sky Tai.

Chef Leon Yap Wee Leong won the World Sushi Cup 2019 in Tokyo in August, while Chef Sky Tai Koon Siang was World Cup Sushi Cup champion for 2018. The two Malaysian chefs trained at the Global Sushi Academy run by the Norwegian Seafood Council in collaboration with World Sushi Skills Institute, the only officially recognised sushi body in Japan.

The Global Sushi Academy training under renowned sushi master Hirotoshi Ogawa from Japan, aims at educating sushi chefs on the traditional art of sushi making and most importantly, the hygienic handling of raw seafood for consumption.

Sensei Ogawa was training 20 Malaysian sushi chefs with at least three years of working experience on the same day as the hands-on sushi-making class for the media. Ogawa is director-general of the World Sushi Skills Institute (WSSI) and chief in charge of the World Sushi Cup.

“Norwegian salmon has always been a very important part of Japanese cuisine,” said Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit.  “It is the preferred choice of sushi topping in Malaysia. We do this Global  Sushi Academy together with World Sushi Skill Institute every year.  The Norwegian Seafood Council is committed to raising the standards of sushi chefs be it in terms of skill or safe food handling.”

Chef Leon (second from left) showing how to make sushi with Chef Sky (third from left), watched by Norwegian Seafood Council’s South-East Asia Regional Director Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit (left), Norwegian Ambassador Gunn Jorid Roset (right) and media.

In the sushi-making session with the media,  Leon and Sky showed how the soft and gentle touch will turn out the perfect sushi and hand roll. “Grab sushi rice like you are counting money,” said Sky. “Take some mayo and wasabi and roll it into a cone shape with the nori.”

Chef Leon’s award-winning Negitoro with Shoyu Jelly and Ikura  was served at lunch, as well as Chef Sky’s Hamachi with Yuzu Miso Dressing that won him the champion title last year.

Norwegian Seafood Council’s South-East Asia Regional Director Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit sharing about sustainability on fisheries.

Norway exported 2.7 million tonnes of seafood in 2018, hitting a record of NOK 99 billion (RM45.54 billion). “If a dish of seafood is 200g, this translates into 37 meals of Norwegian seafood daily.  If you put it as a sushi topping, this would mean 500 million sushi meals every day,” said Asbjorn.

He spoke about the sustainability of fisheries supplying food for the masses for many years to come. “Only 1.2kg of feed is required to produce 1kg of salmon, compared to 3kg of feed to produce 1kg of pork and 8kg of feed to produce 1kg of beef.”

In fact more seafood is the answer to future food security, according to a recent report presented at a UN conference in Rome about sustainable fisheries and ocean economy. Managed responsibly, the oceans can provide over six times more food than it does today.

This represents more than two thirds of the world’s future protein needs, and with a much lower carbon footprint than many other foods. Sustainable marine aquaculture – or mariculture – is highlighted as the area with the most potential for growth.

Norwegian salmon has been ranked the most sustainable among world’s largest protein producers in the 2019 Coller FAIRR Protein Index which ranked 60 of the world’s largest publicly-listed protein producers on how they perform on sustainability.

(2019 Coller FAIRR report ranks Norwegian salmon most sustainable among world’s largest protein producers)

About Chef Leon

Chef Leon, also known as Yap Wee Leong, became overall champion of World Sushi Cup 2019 in Tokyo recently, having won first place in the Creative section, and second place in the Edomae section. He is now the chef at Sushi Hibiki in Kuala Lumpur. Before that he had been working in Singapore in various Japanese restaurants – Yamagawa (as Executive Chef),  Aoki and Raku (as Assistant Chef) -- for the past 12 years.

He holds the Kurobi Sushi Certificate which is the Advance Certificate from All Japan Sushi Association. 

About Chef Sky

Chef Sky, who is also known as Tai Koon Siang, is head chef at Standing Sushi Bar in Singapore, where he oversees five sushi outlets. He is from Kluang, Johor.  Chef Sky won the World Sushi Cup 2018 on his third attempt in the competition. He is also a sushi instructor.

Chef Sky spent 14 years in perfecting his technique in sushi making, chemistry of flavours and the origin of basic raw ingredients in Japanese cuisine. He has been advocating proper sushi making skills, especially in hygienic handling of seafood. Sky is a big fan of Norwegian salmon too.

About Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC)

The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) is owned by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. The Norwegian seafood industry finances its activities through fees levied on all exports of Norwegian seafood. NSC is the approval authority for Norwegian seafood exporters.

Headquartered in Tromsø, NSC has presence in major markets around the world aiming to increase the value of Norwegian seafood resources. NSC oversees the administration and use of the trademark “Seafood from Norway”, a joint value for the Norwegian seafood industry. Together with the industry, NSC aims to increase the demand for and consumption of seafood from Norway. For more information, please visit https://en.seafood.no/

“Seafood from Norway” Trademark

Seafood will always be an essential part of our diet. However, consumers today are increasingly focused on the origin of food, how it is produced and how it meets concerns regarding sustainability. Norway was built on its seafood industry, and managing its ocean resources in a sustainable manner.

The new trademark “Seafood from Norway” is addressing these matters, founded on a genuine concern for environment. This trademark is a symbol of origin and quality for all Norwegian seafood, farmed or wild caught in Norway’s cold, clear waters.  Because there is no doubt about it: Origin matters. More seafood is the answer to future food security – but we are not eating enough.