The restaurant is the brainchild of Seabourn culinary consultant chef Anton 'Tony' Egger, who is responsible for everything from the recipes, menus and service style to the choice of uniforms, china and tableware.
Egger was an executive chef on Seabourn ships and also corporate executive chef for awhile, so he's familiar with the taste and expectations of Seabourn travelers.
'I love really good sushi myself, so I was committed to developing the best sushi dining experience, not only with impeccably fresh ingredients and expert preparation, but also with the cultural aspects of the Japanese sushi tradition,' he said.
Working with Japanese chef friends, Egger spent months developing a network of suppliers to ensure that top quality ingredients, including Japanese fish and seafood and crucial elements such as the special Japanese sushi rice, differently flavored vinegars and a variety of fresh Japanese produce can be supplied to the ship as it cruises the world.
His menus are ingredient-specific; no substitutions are permitted. If an ingredient is unavailable, the chefs will not serve the dish. The Japanese sushi tradition is exemplified by small, family-run restaurants, and that is the atmosphere intended at Sushi on Seabourn Encore.
'The staff in Sushi, from the three specialized Asian sushi chefs to the wait staff, all interact as one team, focused on the guests,' Egger said. 'You'll see the sommelier delivering food plates, the waiters fetching drinks. It feels like a family operation.
'But, like in a family, when it comes to the preparation, there are specialists,' he continued. 'Properly cooked and vinegared rice is the heart of sushi, so one person is the rice master, for every meal, every day.'
Lunches are designed around the Japanese bento box tradition, a tasty meal in a quick and casual style. Sushi offers three options daily, with main courses of meat or poultry, seafood and vegetarian. Each box is accompanied by a hot miso soup, a Japanese-style salad and a simple dessert.
Dinners offer an a la carte menu, including edamame and miso soup, an array of salads and small plates of various sashimis and tatakis, as well as a variety of sashimi, nigiri and maki sushi, and signature rolls exploiting the best ingredients selected by the chefs. All selections can be ordered as individual servings or to share. Unlike the sequence of courses in a Western meal, sushi is served continuously as it is prepared by the chefs. Desserts consist of Asian-flavored ice creams, sorbets and puddings.
Seabourn's master mixologist, Brian van Flandern, created two special cocktails for Sushi, a craft drink called Sushi Verde, and a Yamazaki Whiskey Tea Ceremony for couples or quartets. The venue also offers a variety of hot or cold Japanese sakes, beers and a selection of wines. Five Japanese teas are available, too, brewed in artisanal cast iron pots.
In keeping with Japanese tradition, reservations are not required. If a seat is open, guests are welcome.
Sushi will also be aboard sister ship Seabourn Ovation when it launches in spring 2018.
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