Chef Toshiya Sato explains traditional sushi etiquette

Chef Toshiya Sato, head chef at Toni’s Sushi Bar in Miami, has identified common mistakes made by Western diners when consuming sushi. According to Sato, a frequent error is submerging the rice side of nigiri directly into soy sauce.

Sato explains that because rice absorbs liquid uncontrollably, dipping the rice side makes the piece excessively salty and masks the delicate flavor of the fish. To maintain the traditional balance intended by chefs, the correct method is to flip the nigiri and lightly touch only the fish to the surface of the soy sauce.