Jiro Dreams of Sushi

I'm fascinated by individuals who strive to become the best in the world. I study the mannerisms and nuances that help make them great. Whether if it's the best athlete in the world, the best coach, or...the best sushi chef, there are striking similarities between those who are the best.

I recently watched a documentary about the world renown sushi chef Jiro Ono. His skill and technique is unmatched in the culinary world. His small, 10-seat restaurant requires reservations almost one year in advance and demands $300 per plate. His reviews are impeccable and people travel across the world to sit before the great Jiro.

His presence and preparation makes nearly every one of his customers nervous. They all explain that their experience is worth whatever it took to be a part of the greatness.

In the case of Jiro Ono, one journalist described that a great chef has the following five attributes:

1. They take their work very seriously and consistently perform at the highest level.

2. They aspire to improve their skills.

3. Cleanliness. If the restaurant doesn't feel clean, the food isn't going to taste good.

4. Impatience. They're better leaders than collaborators. They're stubborn and insist on having it their way.

5. They're passionate.

Jiro sets the standard for discipline. He’s always looking ahead. He’s never satisfied with his work. He’s always trying to make the sushi better, or improve his skills. Even now, that’s all he thinks about, all day, every day. He's 85 years old and considered the best sushi chef ever, however he still strives to improve.

All I want to do is make better sushi. I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I’ll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is.

He's obsessed with sushi. It's his passion. It's the only thing he's ever wanted to do and he has always pushed the envelope to be original. He said, "I would make sushi in my dreams. In the middle of the night, I’d jump out of bed with new ideas."

The qualities that Jiro Ono exudes are similar to those of the greatest of all-time in other categories. Individuals like Michael Jordan, Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, to name a few, will go down in history as being the best in the world at what they did. They demonstrated a passion, character traits and standards similar to best sushi chef in the world.

In the wrestling world, Dan Gable studied other greats like Mickey Mantle and Secretariat. Dave Schultz was fascinated by the great Miyamoto Musashi. The greats study the greats. I wonder if it's because they're the only people they really understand. They cannot identify with someone who doesn't posses the same attributes they do. They might be in a different field or profession, but greatest is often manufactured in the same way.