Healthy, meaty sushi without the fish. Tomato Sushi is a natural, eco-friendly alternative to raw tuna, invented by one of America's top chefs.
Healthy, meaty sushi without the fish. Tomato Sushi is a natural, eco-friendly alternative to raw tuna, invented by one of America's top chefs.
Yes, Tomato Sushi is made of tomatoes, but the texture and flavor of the tomato are transformed through a special technique we use to handle the tomato. Tomato Sushi was designed to be a delicious alternative to ahi tuna with a savory, meaty taste. It’s still a tomato, but its appearance and texture are almost indistinguishable from raw tuna.
Tomatoes contain high levels of naturally-occurring glutamic acids, which are responsible for the savory flavor of meaty foods. Chef James Corwell's proprietary preparation method combines tomatoes with simple, natural ingredients to enhance the natural savory quality of the tomato, making Tomato Sushi a fish-like experience.
When you first see it, you think that it’s actually ahi tuna – the appearance is there, the color is there. When you actually taste the product, it’s almost like biting into a piece of tuna.
We are in the situation where 40 years down the line we, effectively, are out of fish. – Pavan Sukdev, UN Environment Program
We are in the situation where 40 years down the line we, effectively, are out of fish. – Pavan Sukdev, UN Environment Program
Jay Bergesen/Flickr
The idea for Tomato Sushi first started to take shape at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, where James Corwell saw two football-field sized warehouses full of tuna sold in one morning. Corwell -- one of only 60 Certified Master Chefs in the world -- saw the incredible volume of tuna that is sold in just one day, and asked the question: “How can the oceans ever keep up?”
The answer is “They can’t.” According to a study published in the journal Nature, 90% of all large predatory fish (like tuna) are already gone, and the rate of fishing isn't slowing down.
So, when he was given the challenge of making some vegetarian sushi for a client, Corwell started working on something that could make a difference to the world’s oceans: Tomato Sushi.
With a taste that even fish eaters will love, Tomato Sushi gives sushi chefs a great tasting, authentically flavored, vegetarian sushi option that rivals the real stuff.
Overfishing is destroying our oceans, and if we want to keep tuna from going extinct, we have to reduce the number we catch. Tomato Sushi is a sustainable, plant-based alternative to vulnerable tuna, with an authentic look and a great taste.
Made from just six natural ingredients, Tomato Sushi is free of mercury, PCBs, and other toxic chemicals. It's also vegan, safe for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and people with compromised immune systems.
Everyone who tries Tomato Sushi loves it! With a meaty, savory, taste and texture, it is a remarkably rich-tasting, substantial, balanced food product that's very sushi-like when combined with rice.
We are currently available in New York City, but growing rapidly! In the meantime, stay connected with us on Twitter and Facebook to stay in the know! We plan to roll out to additional locations late 2016 and through 2017.
Tomato Sushi is made from fresh tomatoes and just a handful of all-natural ingredients.
Tomato Sushi is 100% plant-based it is completely vegan! No fishy business here! However, we do use soy sauce which is not gluten free.
Yes, Tomato Sushi must be refrigerated.
Once prepared, Tomato Sushi should be consumed within 2-3 days.
Tomato Fish are social fish, preferring to band together on vines. They prefer a dry, sunny habitat with fertile soil and a good source of ground water. When young they are green, but as they mature they turn a deep red. They love a good dunk in soy sauce and won't shy away from a pinch of wasabi paste. If you're considering raising Tomato Fish of your own, be sure to give them ample space to grow as well as plenty of support. They've been known to outweigh their vines causing structural instability, but in general they are great fun and make a delicious addition to any family table.
Chef James Corwell is the culinary genius behind Tomato Sushi. An Atlanta native, Corwell carries the rare professional designation of ACF Certified Master Chef. He was previously chef at the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant - Napa Valley, The Culinary Institute of America (St. Helena), Cherokee Town & Country Club (Atlanta) and Le Foret (New Orleans). He was voted best new chef by New Orleans Magazine in 2010.
[Tomato Sushi] is an incomprehensibly accurate visual representation of maguro tuna, but it’s completely vegan. It tastes great, as well, with the familiar taste of sushi rice and the unexpected flavor of tomato combining into a new sensation that wouldn’t leave my mind. – Nicolas Grizzle, Bohemian.com
[Tomato Sushi] is an incomprehensibly accurate visual representation of maguro tuna, but it’s completely vegan. It tastes great, as well, with the familiar taste of sushi rice and the unexpected flavor of tomato combining into a new sensation that wouldn’t leave my mind. – Nicolas Grizzle, Bohemian.com