My experience with sushi has been attempting to roll a sheet with no bamboo mat in college using cucumbers and rice from a rice cooker. It did not turn out well. And for a good reason; some chefs take a few years to learn how to make sushi.

This book does not lie with its title; sushi is an art, and there are chefs that will make you want to turn your back on what you can get at a Whole Foods counter or Sushi Maki chain. Pages talk about fermentation processes, the right way to eat different types of sushi, and why disintegration is not an option. I was in love, and wanted to remember all the art.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

The Art of Sushi is a fascinating non-fiction graphic novel about- you guessed it, sushi. The author has done his research and reverently shows all that there is about sushi from how the rice and fish are harvested, the traditions tied into how they are prepared and the presentation of how they are laid out. The art is minimalistic and lovely, primarily rendered in black and white with some color added as an accent. You will never look at a sushi roll in the same way after reading this informational book!

I thought this was really fantastic. It was REALLY informative and went beyond just the sushi itself, but also the sake pairing, the different types of sushi, how nori is made, how sake is made, how soy sauce is made. It had so much detail! I really enjoyed it. The pacing was just a little slow for me.

But I LOVE anything with a recipe in the back.

This book was a piece of art. We travel to see the sushi in different spots in the world but also learn so much about all the care and element that are needed to make sushi. We see in this book, the passion, and the desire to share more about the art of making sushi

This would have been a 4 star read if it weren't for the elitist tone of the author.

I truly appreciated the journey around Japan to see all the different facets that go into the art of sushi, from how the fish is caught and prepared, to the creation of sake and shoyu, and all the varieties of rice grown. It was really interesting to see everything from a 3 star michelin sushiya to the everyday Kaiten and homemade sushi.

However, as I previously mentioned the author had a very privileged, classist tone when talking about anything other than the most expensively prepared meal, with a highly trained sushi chef. The majority of people will never have access to that type of dining experience, and to look down at a more accessible variety of sushi was very off putting.

Sure, be mindful of whether restaurants are sourcing their fish locally. Whether it's ocean vs. farm fished. If preparing sushi at home, be aware of the practices involved in preparing dishes safely. But there was shaming tone used when talking about more affordable sushi options and I just didn't care for it which unfortunately took away from my rating of the book.

I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick and easy way to learn about sushi. It certainly has peaked my interest to seek out more in depth reading about it.

***Thank you to Papercutz, NBM Publishing for providing me with the e-ARC for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

As someone who loves to eat sushi and really can’t wait to go back to sushi zanmai in Japan this was a wonderful book. I feel like I learned so much.

I can say right away this is one of the nicest books I have read this year so far. The author travels from France to Japan to learn all he can about sushi. Along the way not only do we learn about sushi, but we also learn about elements of sushi such as the fish and the rice as well as those who make it and even related topics like sake and soy sauce. The author takes us on a journey along with his friends and gives us an in-depth look at Japanese culture as well as sushi.

The author tells an interesting and entertaining story. There is a lot of attention to detail. This is an educational book, but it is also a pleasure to read. The author weaves the various stories together so they flow without effort, easily transitioning from one topic to the next. Explanations of various processes are clear and accessible. The text is well written and suitable for general readers.

The art is simple in a black and white style. However, food illustrations and diagrams are in color and drawn in a detailed and realistic style. At times you feel like you can reach in and grab a piece of sushi. The rest of the art is basic, but it works nicely with the text. This is a graphic novel that is a pleasure to look at as well as read.

It was a nice reading, very instructing, the dedication to the drawing was really cool. But something bugs me. Maybe the "weeb" atmosphear, when you put too much pop culture references in a subject that doesn't need it; maybe it's this bunch of wealthy people who use their friend's research to travel and eat like if they were on holidays... Even with a japanese consultant, I can feel this book is western oriented more like a safari trip than a way to appreciate another cultur. I'm a little confused about it

The Art of Sushi is an informative graphic novel that takes a deep dive into the world of sushi. Alarcon takes us on a journey through all there is to know about sushi. The book is great for foodies and fans of micro-histories. The narrative was engaging, and the illustrations did an excellent job expressing the details. The book made me want to chow down on some sushi....so mission accomplished!

My Thoughts:
This graphic novel, similar to Feast Your Eyes on Food as well as the journalistic, anecdotal food "stories" like To Drink and To Eat: Treats & Tribulations from a French Kitchen is both a travel guide and a food biographies of Japanese masters. This book gives an insider look to the kinds of Japanese food that many of us will never enjoy, including 3 Michelin star omakase experiences.

I enjoyed the history of sushi coming out of Edo, the older name for the region now known as Tokyo, and the birthplace of modern sushi. What was also valuable, though is that this is not just about sushi. This is about rice, taking care of the fresh ingredients and types of sake.

Although the borders to Japan are still closed to us, I definitely started a travel folder to Japan. Ikimashō!
From the Publisher:

Fly to Japan and come discover all there is to know about sushi. After revealing the secrets of chocolate to us, Franckie Alarcon offers a gourmet panorama of this exceptional dish that has conquered the planet! But do you really know sushi? The author traveled to Japan to meet all the players involved in the making of this true work of culinary art. From the traditional starred chef to the young cook who is shaking up the rules, including all the artisans and producers involved, this book covers the most emblematic of Japanese products from A to Z. A fascinating journey of discovery that, along the way, tells a lot about Japan itself. You’ll never believe the precision and detailed obsession with quality ingredients involved.

I love process books and this is definitely a process book. It is in the form of a graphic novel which I found really enjoyable. If you are a fan of sushi or just interested in the elements of it, this is a great starting point.

3.5 stars. Very interesting graphic novel about sushi, traditional and modern, as well as the items that complements sushi - soy sauce, wasabi and sake.

Could do with less of the others but it’s good.

Thank you Papercutz, NBM Publishing for this arc.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, it was paced well, the illustrations supported the story ad overall it was an enjoyable experience. Thank your or the opportunity to read this ARC

The Art of Sushi is all about the history of sushi. This is part of a series that also included the Secrets of Chocolate. I love that the book is more than just a history of sushi. As I read the book I found myself getting lost in the drawings and wishing that I could hang them on my wall. It has the feeling of fine art, like the pieces belong hanging in an art gallery. Most of the book is in black and white, but there are spots of color on each page. Because it has so much information it reminds me of the science comics from First Second Press. There is so much information that you will want to read it more than once. My favorite section was about etiquette. I am not a sushi eater so it was really nice to see what is considered rude in traditional sushi restaurants.

A book that thoroughly highlights the art of process, and how that can make all the difference. Reading this was incredibly interesting and does a fantastic job of conveying information.
The sheer amount of information contained in this book is surprising.

Fishing, creation of rice wine and shoyu, and so much more is covered within the pages of the book. You can feel the passion oozing out of the pages of this book.

10/10 would recommend.

After watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi many years ago, and loving how the film depicted the relationship between sushi making and sushi chefs, The Art of Sushi caught my eye as another entryway for Western audiences to see the beauty and work behind sushi. Not only portraying how the different types of sushi are made by chefs, this book delves into the collecting of the ingredients, the relationships between the food makers/gatherers/fishermen and the chefs, the farming of the ingredients, etc, etc. during Alarcon's trip to Japan that spans the graphic novel. Alarcon did an excellent job highlighting and explaining even more of the process than I even realized was a part of it, and I spent an entire afternoon wrapped up in the text and pictures of this charming graphic novel. The level of detail behind all the moving parts of sushi making is astounding, and I'd love to learn more!

As a fan of sushi, this was perfect. The Art of Sushi is a one-stop graphic novel guide to sushi history and culture. It was an extremely interesting and fun read that I would suggest to any sushi lovers!

*Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing this ARC*

🌟4/5

This book was so wonderfully illustrated! I've never been interested in the history and art of sushi and all the different components that go into making it. This was a bit of an eye-opener into how much effort is put into this process, and I appreciate the work that sushi chefs do even more. I also really liked how some recipes were included at the end. It was also pretty fun to read. However, I did feel a bit overwhelmed at some points with the amount of information. But, I'm still glad I got the opportunity to read this!

My 10 yr old son and I love to go on sushi "dates" so we enjoyed reading through this book together. It was very interesting not just as a fan of sushi, but as a fun way to learn about other cultures and traditions.