“There are a lot of people who like sushi but can’t afford it,” says master sushi chef Park Sangha, the owner of Seoul’s six-seat restaurant Ooshima. “But I believe they have the right to eat sushi, too.”
Sangha’s technique at Ooshima is all his own, where the chef keeps his costs down while serving high quality fish, largely by modifying techniques, abandoning tradition, and working around the clock without the help of staff. With that Sangha has managed to grow a following of devoted regulars and one of Seoul’s most affordable and vibrant omakase menus.
“I like the traditional method, but it’s very time consuming so it’s not feasible in this type of restaurant,” says Sangha. “In order to do that, I would have to give up sleeping.” The chef already barely gets any sleep, heading to Seoul’s Noryangjin Fish Market daily at 4:00 a.m. to be back at the restaurant by 5:30 a.m.
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