Ask anyone who has worked a sushi counter what the hardest part is and they will not say the fish. They will say the rice.
Washing and soaking
We wash short-grain rice until the water runs clear, then let it soak before it is cooked. Skipping this gives rice that is sticky on the outside and chalky in the middle.
Seasoning
The cooked rice is turned out into a wide wooden tub and cut through with a mix of rice vinegar, sugar and salt while it is fanned. The aim is grains that are glossy and separate, not mashed.
Temperature
Sushi rice should be close to body temperature when it meets the fish. Cold rice goes hard and dulls the flavour. This is why we cook small batches every two hours rather than one large pot in the morning.
If the rice is right, a piece of nigiri needs almost nothing else.
At home
When your order arrives, eat the nigiri first. It is the dish that changes fastest as it cools.