Colorado College Rolls With It in Successful Sushi Class

Catering Executive Chef Juwanza Thomas demonstrating how to break down a side of salmon

Catering Executive Chef Juwanza Thomas demonstrating how to break down a side of salmon

A combination of email marketing, social media, and in-café signage generated so much buzz that a sushi-making class at Colorado College sold out!

A student really enjoying her taste of sushi rice

A student really enjoying her taste of sushi rice

When the 50 students and community members entered Bemis, the original dining hall on this Colorado Springs campus, they gasped audibly as they took in the scene. A slideshow projected images of sushi, rice, and sunomono (seaweed salad) set to music, while the tables were arranged in a dramatic arc around a chef’s setup, at which an impressive side of salmon sat atop a large cutting board, surrounded by temaki, musubi, and poke.

Welcome to the brainchild of Assistant General Manager Eddie Siow, who conceived of this series of instructional opportunities the Bon Appétit team has begun offering throughout the year. Other class topics include barbecue, food photography, candy-making, knife skills, and cheese-making, but this night’s focus was squarely on sushi.

At their seats, attendees found a sushi starter kit — complete with rice paddle, rolling mat, and chopsticks — plus cups for tea and water, bowls of soup, dishes of wasabi and ginger, and for dessert, mochi. As Eddie, Executive Chef Cody Rodgers, and Catering Executive Chef Juwanza Thomas took their places, anticipation built, and Eddie welcomed guests to an education-filled evening.

Assistant General Manager Eddie Siow sharing his passion for sushi with Colorado College students

Assistant General Manager Eddie Siow sharing his passion for sushi with Colorado College students

Eddie offered an overview of Japan’s different sushi styles and their significance. Cody focused on rice and culinary fundamentals, and Juwanza taught guests how to select a salmon and break it down, and which knives fit each task best.

Students then got to roll their own sushi. Some were even invited up front to practice using specialty sushi knives.

A few guests lingered after the event wrapped up, with one even asking how he could work with the team’s sushi program. This highly successful class was the team’s best-attended offering to date.

Submitted by Tyler Dexter, Operations Manager