Photo and story by Krystal Loritts / Contributing Writer
Mayday Brewery hosts various events to bring new people together and also keep the regulars on their toes. So it’s no surprise that the owner of the brewery Ozzy Nelson would jump at the opportunity to book a session for sushi lessons for beginners with Chef Kelly Viall.
Seeing as how sushi can seem very daunting and even difficult for many people to grasp how to make it, Viall insist that it’s quite easy.
“After this class, you will change your tune,” she stated with a smirk.
This was only the second class held at Mayday, but Viall travels throughout the Southeast, teaching classes for beginners. With Tennessee being her 16th state, she now has taught 5,800 students in just five years.
The class was filled with couples for an untraditional date night and a few others flying solo to learn the art of sushi-making and have a little fun along the way. Many were there because they were sushi lovers and wanted to perfect their sushi-making skills.
“(We’re) just trying something new really, to see what meals I can make for this one,” joked Mary Yarb, who was celebrating date night with her husband Terry.
During the class, Viall taught the most effective way to make rice, how to shop for ingredients and finally — how to roll the sushi.
“The class is always quiet and shy until halfway through and they start actually making the sushi or start drinking… then they start talking to each other and high-five each other,” Viall said.
And sure enough, as the drinks started to pour and the class started, the whole group had a very inviting and carefree atmosphere, with Viall cracking jokes and the students warming up with each other. . It seemed more like friends just cooking together than a teacher/student situation.
“I want everyone to get the full experience so that when you get home it’s natural making sushi and not so foreign,” Viall said.
You can contact Viall about booking a sushi-making class on her Facebook page, Birmingham Sushi Class. You can find her website here.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Tayhlor Stephenson, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
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