Food

Food For Thought

A sushi chef merges creative thought and a mastery of skill

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Cardin Lau is originally from Hong Kong and now calls Rhode Island his home. While in Hong Kong he studied French/European cuisine. In 1997, Cardin came to the US and started working at Haruki in Cranston, and now works at the Wayland Square location. He started in hibachi and has moved his way up to sushi chef, where imagination is key.

How is being a sushi chef different from a classic chef?
It is the skill that is different. You need the cooking, the talent, the skill and the creativity. The creativity is really important.

Describe your learning process with creating sushi.
I think I am really lucky. When I first started working in the sushi bar at Haruki in Cranston I had a great teacher, Take, to teach me the skills. Take gave me a great foundation. You need a really, really sharp blade when working with sushi. I use the knife that Take gave me from the beginning.

How do you stay inspired?
I draw inspiration from everyone. I’m very inspired by the food I work with; there is unlimited creation with sushi.

Where do you get your fish?
We get it from the Japanese Fish Market in Boston. The fish are from all around the world. I think the best thing for sushi is European salmon from the Faroe Islands. It is really important, for safety, to know where your fish comes from.

There are those who are afraid to try sushi. What would you recommend for a first timer?
Try the tuna or the salmon. It’s easy because of the texture; most people are already familiar with those two fish. I would give them either a Spicy Tuna or Spicy Salmon Roll. The California Roll is boring to me but is also very popular at the sushi bar. It’s also very healthy too with the avocado.

What is your personal favorite?
Uni (Urchin), it tastes sweet and different and the flavor is so strong. I like to eat it as sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi.

How do you feel about making sushi at home?
I wouldn’t recommend making sushi at home. Most fish at the store is not sushi grade – to my standards. It just can’t compare to what you get at a restaurant. You also need to know how to prepare it properly to eat it as sushi.

Tell me a bit about sushi rice and the vinegar you use in it.
We use a Japanese rice that is short or medium grain. Short grain is better for sushi. The vinegar is integral and the amount used is up to the individual making the sushi. I like it to taste sweet. Some people like it to taste salty, sour or light.

What do you like most about being a sushi chef?
It is an art and what I like most about it. It is so easy to create. So many sushi chefs out there don’t have the creativity – it’s rare. The sushi chefs I remember are really good at creating and making sushi art. There is no right or wrong because it is so important to create. You need the have the basic skills down and a strong foundation. It is most important to have balance.

haruki, haruki east, sushi, sushi chef, inspired food, asian cuisine, eat, food, wayland square, providence monthly

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