Jiro Dreams of Sushi - 5 Qualities of a Great Chef & Leader

I recently viewed the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi after eye-ing it for a number of months. Not only am I quickly drawn to any story or film that focuses on the elderly because I feel like they are a population often written off but full of so many interesting experiences and knowledge (as well as just being SHAMELESS with whatever and whoever they love best), but also I was drawn by a love for Japanese culture...and sushi.

Check out the trailer here!


Although many of the experiences shared pointed to the pervasive Japanese worldview of hard work and family honor - for example Jiro describing his own experience of learning the value of perseverance through being sent out from his family before the age of 10 to work and told he needed to work hard because he had no home to come back to! - I felt that there were also a number of Gospel truths woven into the narrative.

One thing that stuck out to me most were the 5 Qualities of a Great Chef shared by a man describing his time with Jiro. I realized how telling these qualities are for great leaders in the church and society as well.

1. Each day work to beat what you've done before - One of the biggest challenges as Christians is that our experience of God's faithfulness should always propel us to have greater anticipation and expectation of what He can yet do and to set our lives on a path that always leaves room for God to do more through us than we could do on our own strength.
2. Intentionally develop skills
3. Cleanliness (food will not taste good in an unclean environment) - I realized how true this is of the pursuit of holiness in the church. Two ministries may have identical events but there will be a greater fruit and experience of God in the place where believers are earnestly praying for the Spirit to move, asking God to purify their hearts, and seeking to align their lives to be more Christ-like. Just as there is an impure taste to food prepared in an unclean environment, there is a tainted sense to a worship service, Bible study, or any gathering in the church when it's evident that the truth shared does not resonate in the experiences of the people in that room outside of that set time.
4. Leader vs. collaborator - Obviously collaboration is more valued in the church than in the kitchen (though there, too, there is a sense of collaboration towards a common goal), but I think what they were describing here is a sense of leadership in setting non-negotiables when it comes to values. If the chef does not set clear values, direction, and vision in the kitchen, everyone will rise up as a chef with their own opinions - where we get the phrase "too many chefs in the kitchen." I'm constantly learning that if leaders do not set clear values and direction as they hear from God, there will also be a confusion in the group and many others rising up to set their own agenda.
5. Passion!

Another interesting aspect of the documentary was apprenticeship. Jiro and the staff talked many times about how the restaurant was one generation away from extinction when it came to the values of service and quality of food if new chefs were not challenged and raised up. Jiro passed on not only the skills but also a sense of focus and passion, helping his sons and the other workers to build one skill at a time (One described that they were not allowed to make the eggs for 10 years! Even then, their skill was critiqued and refined). Apprenticeship under Jiro is not easy - his own son wanted to run away for the first 2 years - but it produces excellent chefs who not only seek their own fame but understand the direction of the restaurant. Not every chef stays either. Jiro described the process of sending out one man to start his own restaurant. He recognized potential in him and pushed for him to pursue his gifts. It's not hard to see the connections to principles of discipleship.

Finally, it stood out that Jiro's shop is the only one of its kind to receive the Michelin 3-star rating for restaurants (a rating that qualifies a restaurant to be worthy of a visit to that country just to eat there). There are only 10 seats, it costs $300 a meal, you must reserve a seat at least a month in advance, and they serve nothing but sushi, but still people come from all over the world to "come and see." What a compelling reminder of the Gospel - it's a narrow road, costly, and is "nothing but Jesus," but it's worthy to share nothing more or less than the truth and to invite others to "come and see." And like they shared of Jiro's place, "there's never a disappointing experience."