Teach Me Sushi Review

Perhaps it’s the native Californian in me, but I’ve always had a penchant for sushi. The colorful rolls, the spritely sashimi, the sense of tradition that comes with each mouthful -- something about this varied and sophisticated food genre truly captures the imagination. Unfortunately, producing sushi at home has always seemed too daunting a task. That was until I got my hands on Jake Davidow’s outstanding Teach Me Sushi app for the iPad.

According to his website, Davidow brings seven years’ experience catering sushi to the mix as he acts as your guide and sensei in the art of crafting the perfect maki or sashimi dish. He brings a sense of "otaku" to the app (what he says is a “feeling that sits below obsession, but above passion”), and you can't help but share his excitement for the subject matter.

Unquestionably, the app’s greatest feature is Davidow’s constant supportive presence within. In each of Teach Me Sushi’s 15 tutorial videos, the creator helps even the most rank novice learn how to create tasty and aesthetically pleasing rolls from start to finish. He teaches in a friendly, welcoming tone; and makes approachable what could otherwise be a daunting task. Ultimately, the videos make it feel as though you have your own personal chef guiding you through the experience.

If videos are not your thing, you can create all types of sushi with clear, step-by-step instructions. These instructions are accompanied by vibrant photos that show you details like knife placement, hand positioning, and various tricks for dealing with stubborn nori (seaweed).

I should mention at this point that I have poor hand-eye coordination. Nevertheless, I jumped right in with the futo maki recipe and had no trouble producing a specimen that looked as though I knew what I was doing. My wife actually asked me what restaurant I got it from! That is, perhaps, the highest compliment I can afford. Davidow knows how to make great sushi, but more importantly, he knows how to help you look good when you're making it yourself.

If the instructional features alone weren’t enough to justify the app’s $8.99 asking price, the developers have added a number of handy flourishes to enhance the experience. First, the app has a shopping list feature that calculates how much of each ingredient you'll need based on the number of people you plan to feed. It then leverages Google Maps to help you find local Asian supermarkets, and even features a built-in rice timer! I frequent three of the markets the app found in my area, but it also turned me on to a couple I didn’t know existed.

Operation of the app is silky smooth -- the UI elements are organized and labeled in such a way that the entire process is intuitive. I haven’t had the chance to test out the following hypothesis, but the app seems easy enough to operate that sophisticated gourmands and savvy kids alike could easily use it to make sushi like pros.

With an app that is as fully featured, easy to use, and stable to operate as Teach Me Sushi, I am hard-pressed to find anything to criticize. Aside from a couple of minor typos in the instructions (which I'm sure will be quickly corrected), the only significant consideration is the app’s size -- Teach Me Sushi clocks in at 900+MB thanks to all its HD videos. It's a small price to pay for high-quality instruction, but it's nevertheless one you should be aware of when making your purchase.

As I played Teach Me Sushi, I couldn't help but think that superlative apps like this are the cookbooks of the future. It does an incredible job of taking an intimidating process and breaking it down in such a way that anyone can dazzle their friends with newfound expertise. I sincerely hope that Davidow’s app meets with success, and that the developer continues to expand on the already impressive instructional options it contains. Now if you will excuse me, I have seaweed to prep and rice to boil.