Kids Cuisine

I just love it when hotels not only think of kids, but actually put some thought into interesting, cultural activities for child guests. There is a hotel that is, in fact, catering to foodie kids (or at least the offspring of foodies), which is all the better.

The Loews Las Vegas Resort just announced a new SushiSkool in which kids aged 5 through teens learn the ins and outs of sushi, from the basics of ordering, using chopsticks, eating different types of sushi and sushi etiquette. It costs $20 per child. The classes are being taught by Chef Osamu “Fuji” Fujita, Master Sushi Chef of Loews Hotels.

Mom can also attend with the “Mommy Maki” add-on, and for $25 can join the child to sample wine and an assortment of maki rolls.

The announcement described the SushiSkool program:

Participants will sample gari (pickled ginger), wasabi (Japanese horseradish), shoyu (soy sauce) and sip ocha (green tea) while mastering the finer points of chopstick strategy. Kids will take home a “Sushi Savvy” gift bag filled with a SushiSKool t-shirt, Chef Fuji’s Guide to Sushi, chopsticks, a CD of photos from the class and a discount card for mom and dad to enjoy dinner in Marssa.

A third generation sushi chef whose father was the personal chef for the Emperor of Japan, Chef Fuji began his career as an apprentice to one of only three master chefs in Tokyo. He is the only sushi chef in the US to earn the Japanese Chefs Association’s recognition of achievement in 2006-2007. Chef Fuji is the Corporate Sushi Chef for Loews Hotels and he can be found behind the sushi bar at Marssa at the Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort serving innovative dishes such as Omaka Se, Tamari Scallop, or Cajun Albacore Tataki that delight the senses and satisfy every guests taste.

It’s wonderful to see a company set a high standard for culinary activities for children. When so many places think family-friendly means adding chicken nuggets to the room service menu, the cool factor of this offering proves much more can be done. I hope more hotels see this example and follow suit.

Photo of sushi, © Marcela Lopez