A single mother in Oakland, CA, Juana (Diana Elizabeth Torres), operates a fruit cart with the help of her father. Times are tough and money is short, but, the family of three somehow survives.
One night, Juana is waiting for her father to pick her and the cart up, when she is robbed at gunpoint of all the money she had made that day.
The fruit cart is now history as Juana decides she can do better. After all, she has been quite successful as an Assistant Chef at various Mexican restaurants and Taquerias as well as with the fruit cart.
But Juana wants more: She wants to keep learning and expanding her capabilities while providing a good life for her young daughter and aging father.
Seeing a help wanted sign at a Sushi Restaurant, she applies and is hired as kitchen staff. One day, the Sous Chef, Aki (Yutaka Takeuchi), is short-handed and asks Juana to cut some cucumber for him. He shows her what he wants and Juana dazzles him with her skills. Aki instantly moves Juana to food prep.
As time passes (over a year), Juana learns as much as she can about preparing Sushi and has mastered all the menu items in this restaurant.
With Aki’s support, Juana works unofficially as his Sushi Sous Chef (she has to go in the back to prepare the food), but, there are multiple-seemingly insurmountable -barriers for her to officially become a Sushi Chef.
To see what happens, you will have to watch the movie. 🙂
“East Side Sushi” is a fantastic indie movie with a great cast, many of whom, according to IMdb, volunteered their time for this very low budget movie.
Loved it!
Go to IMDb for more information.
Drive Safe! Never Forget
ForCarol: Drive Safe! Never Forget 