At 85, Jiro Ono is a sushi master.
He and his sons work with raw fish.
Sushi fans will appreciate this fully.
Jiro is the subject of a new documentary movie:
“Jiro Dreams of Sushi”.
Jiro not only dreams of sushi.
He drives himself to make it memorable.
His tiny 10-seat restaurant is in a Tokyo subway station.
It’s become a sushi gastronomic shrine.
Michelin Guide editors gave it their top rating.
Making better sushi is all Jiro ever wanted to do.
He is driven and merciless on himself.
His passion drives his two sons.
Eldest son Yoshikazu works with him at his restaurant.
Younger son Takashi has his own restaurant.
He opened it with his father’s blessing.
Failure is not an option, his father warned.
Jiro’s success, he insists, is no secret.
He is dedicated to an abstract idea.
“Each ingredient has an ideal moment of deliciousness.”
It guides his choices of fish and rice vendors.
They, too, must pursue excellence.
Excellence permits his astronomical prices.
Patrons often book seats a year in advance.
Jiro does not want to expand his restaurant.
He knows that his success depends on:
1. The drive that has produced excellence.
2. The scarcity of only 10 seats.
3. The exclusivity of being hard to find.
Jiro has been willing to pay the price of excellence.
Our challenge: To be willing to pay a price, too.
For more on that, see my new book.
“What It Costs to Be the Boss”
Email me for a free sampler of the book.
