SAN FRANCISCO—From the boutique sushi restaurants in Japantown to the high-end establishments in the Financial District, Castro and Nob Hill neighborhoods, millions of travelers visit this city every year to choose from hundreds of sushi options, according to luxury hotel group Nikko Hotels International.
Located near Union Square, Hotel Nikko San Francisco’s Restaurant Anzu, which includes a menu of fresh fish at the sushi bar, offers business and leisure travelers one-on-one sushi-making lessons with the in-house sushi chefs.
“The participants experience an intimate, interactive and diverse sushi-making class with some of the best sushi chefs in the world,” said Joseph Curran, VP of marketing, Hotel Nikko San Francisco. “It is meant to have our guests be instrumental in the process of creating something beautiful, then enjoying their own delicacies.”
Under the leadership of Chef Philippe Striffeler, Restaurant Anzu serves gourmet California cuisine with Asian influences, while giving patrons a memorable sushi experience, according to the hotel. The restaurant’s sushi chefs have offered informal classes for more than a year now. The sushi-making lessons have become so popular that the hotel’s management recently made the experience a permanent offering. The course is especially popular among couples during Valentine’s Day and New Year’s celebrations.
“It fits perfectly with the lifestyle of Hotel Nikko in many ways,” said Curran. “It is a course that can add unique memories to any vacationer’s stay in San Francisco, or be an avenue for a new date idea for Bay Area locals. The class mirrors the Zen and Asian-inspired grace and hospitality that the Nikko embodies. We feel that the course is yet another example of the Nikko’s Omotenashi—the heart of Japanese hospitality.”
Hotel Nikko, which is owned by Takenaka Corporation and managed by Nikko Hotels International, targets a wide range of demographics, according to the property. Welcoming guests for more than 25 years, it has positioned itself over the past few years to target vacationing couples and business travelers.
According to the hotel, dubbed “a one-stop shop for first-class cuisine and entertainment,” Hotel Nikko provides guest services and food and beverage offerings that appeal to an eclectic taste. The property, which has 532 guestrooms including 22 suites, offers a number of venues and amenities such as Feinstein’s at the Nikko nightclub, Kanpai Lounge and 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting and banquet space.
The sushi-making experience fills a void in San Francisco, according to Curran. “It was promoted by what we perceived as the lack of a first-class, truly one-on-one sushi-making experience in San Francisco,” he said. “In a city so well-known for its variety of quality sushi establishments, the Nikko is proud to be able to offer access to world-class sushi chefs for a real, intimate experience in making sushi, [to go along with the]top-of-the-line cocktails and wine selections from our mixologists at Kanpai.”
The one-on-one sushi-making lessons also attract guests from other San Francisco hotels, as well as local sushi aficionados. Hotel Nikko has hosted sushi-making classes for corporate events to provide team-building opportunities and, on the leisure side, the course is an option for couples looking for an intimate date idea or a single person who wants a simple—but quality—experience in making sushi.
“Hotel Nikko has established itself as the go-to, one-stop place for traveling business professionals who want to experience a special San Francisco memory,” said Curran. “At Nikko and Anzu, you have the opportunity to experience it all under one roof and, to top it off, it is with world-class chefs in one of the finest hotels in the City by the Bay.”
Other than Restaurant Anzu, there are few other establishments in San Francisco that offer sushi-making classes, according to Curran. “What sets Anzu apart is the truly wonderful experience you get that will be unique every time,” said Curran. “The fish utilized and enjoyed in each class is based upon what is freshest from the local waters, as well as what is flown in daily from the renowned Tsukiji fish markets in Tokyo.”
Restaurant Anzu’s sushi options are a popular choice on its menu. According to Curran, the sashimi has been highly requested among patrons, and some of the frequently ordered specialty rolls include the Titus (lime, cilantro and jalapeno) Albacore Delight (lemon, ginger ponzu and delicate albacore) and Snow Mountain (crabmeat, cucumber and avocado) rolls. The chefs also make their own bonito flakes.
Guest feedback on the sushi-making lessons and the chef’s sushi menu has been very positive. “Guests who have experienced the sushi classes enjoy how intimate and exciting they are, and the wide range of freedom you get interacting with some of the best sushi chefs in the world,” said Curran. HB