Chef’s cutting board

Bento menu to be available at UC Riverside campus

Cultural News, September 2007

Andy Matsuda

   Seven years ago, we helped set up sushi roll menus at the campuses of Cal Tech in Pasadena, UCLA, UC San Diego and UC Riverside. Our efforts were particularly important at UC Riverside, where student enrollment is up so much that the university is investing in a third cafeteria for students. 

    As a result of the new cafeteria and expanded student population, we will go to UC Riverside in September to train 10 new chefs as we introduce donburi and bento boxes to their menu, with initial plans for these 10 chefs to make 200 bento boxes and 300 sushi boxes a day.

    The middle of September does see us getting out the word on sea urchin, as we head to the Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier for an event that will feature a variety of sake and sushi, as well as live performances of taiko and koto for an audience of about 200 people.

    This is an important event, as it will help us prepare for the annual seafood show in Santa Barbara in October. With growing attendance each year, we expect to see close to 5,000 attendees and 100 booths of food.

    We will open a booth under the sponsorship of the Sea Urchin Commission of the State of California. Of course we will specialize in sea urchin, as we continue to reach out to Chinese, European and Korean restaurant owners to encourage them to include this delicacy in their menus.  We do this by showcasing a variety of different appetizers and dishes that are possible with sea urchin.

    Andy Matsuda is founder and Chief Instructor of the Sushi Chef Institute in Los Angeles. For information about the school, visit www.sushischool.net.

(The text was completed by Gavin Kelley.)