How to sharpen up your sushi etiquette

A documentary on master chef Jiro Ono, considered the best sushi chef in the world, opens across the US starting this week. Ono was the first in Japan to earn three Michelin stars for his modest, 10-seat sushi eatery Sukiyabashi Jiro tucked away in a Tokyo subway station.

A documentary on master chef Jiro Ono, considered the best sushi chef in the world, opens across the US starting this week.

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Ono, 85, was the first in Japan to earn three Michelin stars for his modest, 10-seat sushi eatery Sukiyabashi Jiro tucked away in a Tokyo subway station.

Against a narrative that tells the story of an octogenarian at the peak of his career and the prospect of handing the restaurant over his to son, the documentary titled Jiro Dreams of Sushi features images of lush food porn that will likely prompt sushi lovers to rush to their nearest Japanese purveyor.

Here are a few tips on proper sushi etiquette that should earn the respect of your sushi bar chef: If at a sushi bar, place the chopsticks across your plate, parallel to the edge of the bar.

When sharing, use the broad end — not the eating end — to take a piece of sushi from a communal platter.

It is perfectly acceptable to eat nigiri sushi (fish placed atop balls of rice) with your hands. Sashimi, however, (pieces of sliced fish, no rice) should be eaten with chopsticks.

Refrain from overloading the soy sauce dish.

Always dips the nigiri sushi rice side up so that only the fish comes into contact with the soy sauce. This prevents it from drowning in too much sauce and the sushi from falling apart.

Sushi should be eaten in one bite, but two bites is allowed.

It is considered impolite to leave any grains of rice on your plate.

Though Western sushi restaurants offer soup as an appetiser, it is also acceptable to have the soup as an accompaniment to the sushi.