The Japanese sushi chef featured in the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi is Jiro Ono.
Jiro Ono is the longtime chef and owner associated with Sukiyabashi Jiro, the celebrated sushi restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo. David Gelb’s documentary, released in 2011, portrays Ono’s relentless pursuit of refinement, his demanding work ethic, and the relationships within his family and restaurant.
Ono began working in a restaurant as a child, moved to Tokyo as an apprentice, and became a qualified sushi chef in 1951. He opened Sukiyabashi Jiro in 1965. The restaurant became famous for its tiny, sushi-focused setting and highly structured tasting experience; the film also follows Ono’s sons, Yoshikazu and Takashi, who pursued careers as sushi chefs.
The title can cause a small mix-up: Jiro Dreams of Sushi is not a fictional story or a general documentary about sushi. It is specifically a portrait of Ono, his restaurant, and the tension between preserving a demanding tradition and passing it to the next generation. Hanaya Yohei, by contrast, is associated with the development of modern nigiri sushi.