Recently, the Department of Health told sushi chefs, if "neurosurgeons can operate with gloves, sushi chefs can use gloves to roll teka maki."
You're probably asking where this all came from, so we're going to back it up for you.
The DOH has repeatedly issued violations and most recently shut down Sushi Dojo and Sushi Dojo Express.
Sushi chef David Bouhadana states that the DOH has shut him down because his chefs don't wear gloves while making rolls.
While the DOH has stated that there were a plethora of reasons as to why they've shut down Sushi Dojo and Sushi Dojo Express, the closure has sparked a conversation about whether the DOH's desire to protect people from food-borne illnesses trumps the need for respecting traditional Japanese sushi making culture.
[anad]
Bouhadana, and many other sushi chefs in NYC, argue that wearing gloves while making sushi violates the traditional sushi making process, which in itself is meticulous in maintaining cleanliness.
Celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain has chimed in, stating "You cannot make sushi through plastic surgical gloves...It's the destruction of sushi as we know it... This is not Subway, for f***'s sake. This is something people have dedicated their lives to."
In California, a rule requiring food handlers to wear gloves while preparing ready-to-eat food was overturned after an outcry from the hospitality industry. Many sushi chefs are hoping for the same result here in NYC, but the DOH is standing firm.
For now, many sushi chefs have decided to follow the rules of the DOH, swapping tradition and culture for a pair of rubber gloves in order to remain open for business which is just sad.
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[via Eater]
[Feature Image Courtesy The Blaze]