The Art of Sushi with Chef Viet Vo

Wow! ...classes at the Epicurean are expensive

-3 Snaps! Try it. You might like it.

Executive Chef Viet Vo brings high energy to his instruction

Sure, $80 a head seemed like a lot of moolah for sushi. But I love the stuff! So when I heard about a hands on experience with Viet Vo, a high energy and experienced chef preparing the tasty rice dishes, I was on it. Vo is founder of Mad Chef LLC and former Executive Chef at Ox and Fields in Tampa. I have photographed his beautiful work before.Wow, that was expensive!

The Epicurean Theater is set up auditorium style

It's a modern classroom for teaching culinary arts

​​​​The experience was held in the Epicurean Theater, part of the Epicurean Hotel, a Bern’s Steakhouse Property. Bern's is a venerable eatery with worldwide acclaim. The theater is set up like a modern auditorium style classroom, with tiered seats and a preparation island in the front. Demonstrations are exhibited on flat screen TVs for easier viewing. During this event tables were also set up for participants to try their hand at rolling the delicate dishes.

Students are encouraged and coached on technique through the sushi making class

As rolled by the master

Sushi as rolled by yours truly. Maybe I'll stick with photography

​Chef Vo is an entertainer. His teaching style is high energy and quirky, mixed with self-deprecating humor and genuine skill. The class itself was interesting, but not what I expected. The event promotion said, “Attendees will get their fill of delicious, freshly made sushi creations as a reward. Your choice of red or white wine will be also poured during the class.” There was indeed a plate of good albeit basic sushi containing a sushi burrito, tempura shrimp, salmon and tuna nigiri, seaweed salad and one glass of good Cabernet Sauvignon. One. For $160 (there were 2 of us) the value was disappointing. A plate of professionally rolled sushi (prepared before arrival) and a couple of shots at roll-your-own is a cool experience but for that price we could have eaten very well across the street at Bern's Steak House. I appreciate the chance to be instructed by someone as experienced as Chef Vo, but still...!  There were between 25 and 30 participants all given 2 opportunities to try their hand at rolling. ​It was advertised as a two-hour event but only lasted an hour and 15 minutes.The promo said there would be "Salmon, tuna, and eel, oh my!" I love eel rolls. There were none. Eel sauce? Yes. Eel rolls? No.

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I understand that the Epicurean holds some gourmet cache’ and going there is going to be expensive. Élevage, the restaurant adjacent to Epicurean Theater led by the very talented Executive Chef Chad Johnson, is no cheap date. But their promotion needs to be more clear on what to expect for events. Without a doubt they are capitalizing on the strong Tampa-as-food-mecca trend and tapping into some of the deep pockets in the area. They have an event called Krug Champagne Supper Club “An Evening of Culinary Voyeurism” coming up that costs $235 per person! It’s promoted as “Our way of bringing together adventuresome lovers of food and drink for an evening of discovery." I’m an adventurous eater, love food and wine pairing, and would really appreciate an evening of discovery. But that's just too far out of my league.

Here's what the price included: Simple fresh sushi, and a glass of pretty good cab.

Vo is an affable talented chef. He is on my radar and I will go wherever he is next creating his delicious dishes. Further Epicurean experience, however,  will have to wait until I can do some considerable wealth building.