Wooden Sushi Boat Serving Tray — Handmade, Small

A small boat-shaped serving tray in handmade wood — the traditional form for sushi service, sized for one or two people rather than a table.

Details

• Handmade wood construction
• Boat hull form with raised bow and stern
• Hand-finished surfaces
• Small size — suits one or two servings
• For sushi, canapés, appetisers or condiments

The tradition

Funamori — boat serving — is a presentation style in Japanese restaurants, and the reasoning is practical as well as symbolic. A raised bow and stern with a shallow middle keeps pieces separated and visible, stops sauce running off the ends, and lets a chef build a composition rather than laying out a row.

The boat also references where the fish came from, which matters in a cuisine that treats provenance as part of the dish.

Also works well for olives, cheese, bread or anything served in a line.