The scent of red vinegar drifts through the air. Akira Shirayama prepares vinegared rice before our eyes, as if to say ‘this is the star of the show’. The ingredient he’s pairing with his vinegared rice, made with mature red vinegar, is rested fish. Each is matured with its own enzymes, dried and pickled in salt, resulting in rich flavours. The skill of eliciting umami from rested fish is called sushi; interestingly, the character for ‘sushi’ combines the elements for ‘fish’ and ‘umami’.