The California Roll Catapulted Sushi's Popularity, But Its Origins Are Murky

Even if you can't tell the difference between sushi and sashimi, chances are you've heard of a California roll. It's an uramaki roll, which means the rice is on the outer layer, followed by seaweed and then the filling. California rolls are stuffed with avocado, real or imitation crab, and cucumber, and they're often topped off with fish roe or sesame seeds. But though they may be a type of sushi, and sushi may be Japanese cuisine, these rolls are far from traditional Japanese fare. Instead, California rolls are an Americanized twist on sushi created in North America, though their exact origins are up for debate.

One simple story is that the California roll was developed by two sushi chefs in the Golden State: Ichiro Mashita and Teruo Imaizumi. The two didn't have access to quality fish, so they swapped out seafood ingredients for avocado and fake crab. As satisfying as this story is, it has a few holes. Namely, that Los Angeles had no shortage of fresh fish in the '60s when this allegedly occurred.

According to author Andrew F. Smith, a more reasonable explanation is that a chef invented the California roll to better suit American palates. The most likely candidate in this case is Ken Seusa, a sushi chef in Hollywood that was famous for creating unique rolls. California rolls have flavors that are easy to appreciate, making them a great first choice for beginners trying to eat sushi like a pro.

Most people credited Ken Seusa for inventing the California roll until Hidekazu Tojo, a Japanese-Canadian sushi chef and restaurant owner, claimed he was the true creator. According to Tojo, he made the dish at his Vancouver eatery in the early '70s. It was originally called "Tojo Maki" and was a more traditional maki roll with rice on the inside and seaweed on the outside. Tojo noticed that this preparation didn't appeal to his customers, so he flipped the rice and seaweed to make it more appetizing to people not used to Japanese food. There isn't too much reasoning behind the choice of other ingredients aside from using fresh local crab. In this version of events, the once-named inside-out roll is nothing more than a delicious dish devised by a chef for a new demographic of customers.

Tojo says that his roll became so popular that it started popping up in restaurants throughout the United States with the name "California roll." These days, that's what it's called all over the world, including in Japan. We may never know its true origins, but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying this scrumptious dish. There are a few things you shouldn't order from a sushi restaurant, but the California roll isn't one of them.