How to Build a Sushi Roller-Coaster

This article is sponsored by our partners, Toshiba.

There’s no doubting the quaint charm of the ubiquitous sushi train. But there’s also no reason why Japanese food innovation should stop at the nearest station. Consequently, Toshiba is about to take the humble sushi roll to a whole new adventure. For three nights, they’ll be bringing the world’s first ever sushi roller-coaster to Sydney and feeding you Zushi-made delights in the process — all for free (free!).

From Friday, October 30, to Sunday, November 1, the mad culinary fairground attraction will pop up at District 01, an arts space in Randle Street, just a few minutes’ walk from Central Station. Between 6pm and 9pm, you’ll be able to pop in, put in your order and watch it zip, dip and dive its way to your table. This is what happens when uber-advanced tech combines with cutting-edge cooking.

THE ROLLER-COASTER

First up, the event will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Bookings aren’t possible. So, whoever’s waiting at the head of the queue when the doors open at 6pm will be eating first. There’s seating for about 18 people at any one time. To gain admission, you’ll need evidence that you’ve ‘liked’ Toshiba’s Facebook page, so don’t forget your mobile device.

Once seated, you’ll make your order via one of Toshiba’s very latest tablets powered by Intel inside and then wait for the roller-coaster to do its thing. The epic steel contraption starts life at ceiling height in the kitchen, wraps its way around the room and descends to the dining table. Your sushi travels along it at break-neck speed, taking an array of ups and downs on the way to its destination.

THE FOOD

The roller-coaster won’t be the only new invention of the night. Surry Hills-based sushi gurus Zushi are putting together four very special, custom-made creations. We can’t tell you exactly what they are (no spoilers!), but we can reveal that they’re inspired by Zushi favourites. We can also assure you that they’ll be constructed extra carefully and packed tightly into cute, hardy little carts to ensure that they survive their ride without suffering any damage.

Zushi chef Lee has been in the business for 27 years and is big on sourcing local ingredients. He’s known for creative takes on both sushi and izakaya-inspired dishes, and Zushi is definitely among the more fun and inviting of Surry Hills’ many eateries. It’ll be exciting to find out what Lee comes up with for this new dining experience.

SERIOUSLY JAPANESE

The pop-up, which is another chapter in Toshiba’s Seriously Japanese campaign, will take on a distinctively Japanese theme. Walking in, you’ll find yourself face-to-face with a show chef, who’ll be chopping up a sushi storm, while the roller-coaster rattles overhead and a big screen displays Japan-inspired graphics. You’ll then be greeted by geisha-costumed waitresses and waited on by suited 'salary men'.

To keep you entertained throughout your seating (as if the roller-coaster isn't enough), there’ll be music, lights and visuals. Areas in the room will be decorated according to various Japanese themes, with props and toys. Think everything from paper lanterns to fortune cats (referred to as ‘maneki neko’ in Japanese) to Godzilla. The aim is slick-technology-and-ingenuity-meets-quirky-cute-funny.

Keep up to date with developments at Toshiba’s Australia and New Zealand Facebook page.