Chopsticks? You’ve been eating sushi all wrong, says Nobu’s first female head chef – as she reveals diners should use their hands

They seem to be designed perfectly for dunking sushi rolls in soy sauce. But chopsticks should never be used to eat the Japanese cuisine, a world-renowned sushi master has revealed.

Eleni Manousou, the first female head chef at the famous Nobu chain, has revealed that diners should pick up sushi with their hands.

The Greek-raised chef, who runs celebrity hotspot Nobu Marbella, which is part-owned by Hollywood actor Robert De Niro, also revealed that she goes easy on the soy sauce – and rarely touches wasabi.

Eleni Manousou, the first female head chef at the famous Nobu chain, has revealed that diners should pick up sushi with their hands

‘In my opinion, you need to eat sushi with your hands,’ said Ms Manousou. ‘It needs to be fast – as soon as the sushi is served, you want to eat it. 

'I dip the fish side into the soy sauce and eat it upside down – with the fish touching my tongue.’

She also revealed that she almost never pairs wasabi with sushi, as it overpowers the flavour of the fish.

‘I’d advise pairing sushi with soy sauce, but only a small amount,’ she added. 

‘I have seen people submerge their sushi in soy sauce, which is wrong – they’ll miss the harmonious taste of the fish and the rice.

‘Each person has their own way to eat sushi. My way is a little soy sauce. 

'No wasabi inside. I prefer the fresh wasabi than the classic powder mixing wasabi.’

Ditch the chopsticks: Ms Manousou suggests dipping the fish side into the soy sauce and eating it upside down – with the fish touching the tongue

Like all Nobu chefs, Ms Manousou was trained personally by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, founder and co-owner of the international chain of high-class restaurants which bear his name.

‘He allows us to put our personal touch in the food, so in each location he also learns something new, which he then teaches in the next location,’ Ms Manousou said.

‘We need to be very focused with regards to the signature dishes, the standard of Nobu, but apart from that, he gives us creative freedom with all the dishes.’

Ms Manousou’s Marbella restaurant is inside one of the chain’s 13 Nobu hotels. She visits the local fish markets each morning to choose the best catch of the day, which then informs that evening’s special.

Ms Manousou visits the local fish markets each morning to choose the best catch of the day

Her recommendation for sushi fans wanting to try fine-dining is her Chilean sea bass jalapeno.

‘The dish features pan-seared sea bass with olive oil and is served with a jalapeno dressing and fresh lime that you need to squeeze on top,’ she said.

Victoria Beckham celebrated her 38th birthday at Nobu’s LA branch, while tennis star Roger Federer was spotted at the resort recently. 

In 1999, Russian model Angela Ermakova became pregnant after a fleeting encounter with Boris Becker at the Nobu site in Mayfair.

The UK sushi market is reportedly worth £38.9 million each year. The cuisine has exploded in popularity in recent years with high street chains such as Itsu, Wasabi and YO! Sushi.