Handling Sushi People and Places of a Transnational Cuisine

Mark Wilco

Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Baram, Uzi

Keywords

Sushi, Transnational, Food, Embodyment, Anthropology, Rice, Seaweed

Area of Concentration

Anthropology

Abstract

Sushi presents an interesting dilemma when studying issues of global exchange and transmission. While sushi is historically Japanese, its spread from Japan to America pre-World War II with the wave of immigration began a rapid change in the cuisine that allowed it to adapt to American tastes and sensibilities. Years later, sushi has made the return trip home, bringing with it new insights and flavor combinations. As a single commodity formed from a multitude of separate products such as rice, fish and seaweed, the labor that goes into its production is often overlooked. The fishermen, farmers, salesmen, distributers and chefs through whose hands the parts of sushi passes all alter the end dish in their own way. This thesis tells the story of sushi�s changing past, present and future through interviews and historical research, paying special attention to the people and places that make the end dish possible. Furthermore, it addresses the question of sushi�s heritage, unpinning it from geographic and cultural restrictions and any concern over authenticity in the modern sushi restaurant.

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