SUSHI 101 A HIT WITH SUPERMARKET SHOPPERS

ROSEANNE HARPER

Some supermarkets are looking to swell the current wave of interest in sushi by getting customers involved in making it themselves.

It may sound ironic, but they expect to boost sales of their chef-made sushi by showing customers how to make their own. They're tying into the recreational cooking trend by offering sushi-making classes, demnstrations and do-it-yourself sushi kits that contain just about everything but the fish.

V. Richard's, an upscale single-unit operator in Brookfield, Wis., held a successful sushi-making session last month, in a deal with the owners of a popular local Japanese restaurant, which drew a broad range of customers.

"Everybody enjoyed it," said Elizabeth Little, president and co-owner of V. Richard's. "We had a surgeon in the class. He was very good at cutting up the rolls."

On Fridays, V. Richard's offers sushi made-to-order by one of the owners of the local Japanese restaurant. Little said she figures that excitement created by the sushi class will have a positive impact on sushi sales.

Other supermarkets nationwide are offering sushi kits recently developed by Advanced Fresh Concepts (AFC), Compton, Calif., a company that operates sushi bars inside supermarkets, including selected units of A&P, Montvale, N.J.; Ukrop's, Richmond, Va.; Wegmans, Rochester, N.Y.; Harris Teeter, Charlotte, N.C.; and Kroger Co., Atlanta.

At Russo's Stop-N-Shop in Chesterland, Ohio, the sushi chef has demonstrated to customers how to use the kit. That sparked quite a bit of interest, said Kevin Michaels, seafood merchandiser/buyer for the four-unit independent.

Like Little at V. Richard's, Michaels sees the sushi kits as having a positive influence on sales. He believes that as people experiment with making sushi, it will whet their appetites for more -- though they won't always have time to make their own.

"I can see people having sushi parties," said Michaels. "My wife and I are going to. That kit would made a nice gift, too. It looks great."

The kits are packed in an attractive green box that features photos and graphics on the cover. Inside is a package of dried seaweed, two types of wasabi, sushi vinegar, pickled ginger, low-sodium soy sauce, a bottle of sesame seeds, microwavable sushi rice, two containers of condensed miso soup (one with tofu and one with seaweed) and a box of green tea. In addition, it contains sushi-making utensils: a straw mat on which to roll the sushi rolls and a special implement for stirring rice. A colorful step-by-step manual on preparing sushi is also included. The retail price is $34.50.