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Hideo slices a fresh sushi maki roll.
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Chef Hideo Furukawa of Sushi By Yoshi
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Hideo with a freshly prepared plate of sushi nigiri.
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Chef Hideo Furukawa of Sushi by Yoshi
Name: Hideo Furukawa
Age: 52
Born & Raised: Tokyo, Japan
Restaurant: Sushi By Yoshi
Phone: 508.228.1801
Location: 2 East Chestnut Street, Nantucket
Web Address: sushibyyoshi.com
When did you first become interested in food?
I started fishing when I was four years old with my father and learned how to fillet fish. My father was a specialized gardener and created Japanese gardens, and bonsai. He loved fishing and always brought me along. Fishing has always been my hobby. I learned how to make rice at 9 years old on a fire with a pot. I was always hungry as a kid and helped my mother do the cooking. I have 2 younger sisters that were always hungry. My parents worked, so after school I did a lot of cooking for my sisters and myself.
What inspired you to become a chef?
I started working at a snack bar and coffee shop when I was 16 or 17 years old. After high school I went to cooking school at Tokyo Food Academy for a year. The cooking school was 6 days a week. I also trained at local restaurants while attending school when I had free time. After I graduated cooking school I went to Kyoto and worked at the restaurant Kodajiyamato. I worked there 28 days a month. I started at the bottom washing dishes and as a waiter. As I got experience I started working in the kitchen and worked my way up. The restaurant specialized in tea parties and full course formal parties. The minimum number of courses was between seven and eleven. The courses consisted of sakizuki [first course] sashimi was the second, nimono [broth soup with vegetables that’s almost like a stew but not so thick] 3rd course, yakimono which is a grilled course of fish, red meat, chicken, eel etc. 5th course is called agemono is a fried course tempora, shrimp, fish, seasonal vegetables. 6th dinomono steamed course and you need high technique. It's very traditional. 7th sunomono is a course to refresh your mouth. It is often sour or with vinegar. 8th ochazuke is a clear broth with rice and little pickled vegetables. 9th is a course of seasonal fresh fruits.
Years in cooking business:
I’ve been cooking about 32 years since graduating from cooking school.
When did you first come to Nantucket?
I came to the United States in December 1979 to Newport Beach, California. I wanted to come to America and get out of Japan to live somewhere different. I lined up a job in Newport working at a restaurant called Koto. I worked their about five months and then Detroit to help a restaurant that was opening there. I also worked in restaurants in Boulder and Denver, Colorado, New York and Boston. I also lived in western Massachusetts before moving to Nantucket. I had a friend who told me about Yoshis for about 6-7 years. I would come out here every year to go fishing. I have worked at Yoshis part time in the summer for the past 3 years. I started working at Yoshis full time last spring.
What style/culture influences /inspires you?
Japanese, and French, Italian, Russian anything as my hobby
What is your favorite Japanese style to cook?
I like cooking Japanese free-style, which is not sushi. In Japan we have kappo bars which is lots of small courses, many different styles such as steamed, fried, broiled, etc…
How would you describe the restaurant to someone who’s never been?
Its a Japanese sushi restaurant. We have a dining room and sushi bar.
What are some of your favorite dishes?
Bouillebasse with lots of different stuff in it. Very fresh fish and I love roast duck.
Any tips for the cooking at home?
Caramelize both sides of a chicken and steam it in vinegar.
Thanks for speaking with Nantucket Food & Wine, any final thoughts?
Many Nantucket people hate bluefish; they don’t have a good chef *laughs*
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