The owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Norway, Lithuanian chef Airis Zapašnikas, won the World Sushi Championship in Tokyo last Friday. He became the first Lithuanian to take first place in the prestigious competition, judged by some of Japan’s top culinary masters.
“For me, as a sushi chef and the first Lithuanian to achieve such a result, it carries great meaning. It is a direct recognition of my abilities as a sushi chef. I would even say it means more to me than my restaurant being awarded a Michelin star,” Zapašnikas told LRT.lt.
“My mind still can’t grasp this fact,” he added.
During the championship, held on August 19–22, participants had to properly prepare fish, vegetables and seafood, and present sashimi and Edomori dishes made from thinly sliced raw fish.
“Each task has a set time limit,” he said. “The rules are very strict – if you don’t follow them, for example by continuing to work after time has expired, you are disqualified. Cutting your finger means losing a significant number of points. Even throwing away an unused cut of fish results in point deductions.”
Fifteen finalists competed for first place by creating an original dish.
“At this stage, the rules were looser, and we were allowed to show full creativity and innovation. Compared with the first day’s tasks, which were very traditional and based on classic Japanese cuisine, this was much freer,” he explained.
In the six weeks leading up to the championship, the chef trained daily, and once in Tokyo, he practised from morning until evening.
“During the trip, I didn’t visit a single tourist spot. My only goal was to perform as well as possible in the competition. I analysed last year’s event in detail, consulted with previous winners, and all of that led to an excellent result – first place,” the chef said.
According to him, participants come from around the world every year, all of them professionals in their field. The judging, he added, is meticulous and strict.
“They look at details you might not even think of – for example, whether your uniform is clean and tidy, or whether your movements are calm and confident. They check hygiene practices, such as whether you wipe your knife between slicing different types of fish,” he said.
The championship is held annually in Tokyo, Japan. It is organised by the World Sushi Skills Institute, which was established with the support of the Japanese government.
“This is the only organisation of its kind in Japan and worldwide, with the main goal of promoting authentic sushi cuisine and culture beyond Japan. When sushi started spreading rapidly around the world, a lack of theoretical and practical knowledge among foreign chefs caused a wave of food poisoning.
The Japanese government encouraged the institute to provide education and raise hygiene and culinary standards among overseas chefs,” Zapašnikas said.
Living in Oslo, the chef regularly takes part in the institute’s training and continues to improve his skills. After completing the first level, participants receive a general sushi skills certificate.
Those who choose to continue and pass further tests can earn a brown, green, or black belt. Last year, Zapašnikas was awarded a black belt in Japan.
“At the World Championship, the judging panel is made up of the institute’s senior members, who also lead the training. To receive the highest recognition from my own teachers and masters is an incredible feeling and an important acknowledgement,” he said.
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