TikTok Slams Michelin-Starred Sushi Noz Over 'Sexist' Portions
When you reserve a table at an award-winning restaurant, you likely expect an unforgettable meal, regardless of your demographic background, gender identity, or other non-food-related factors. One high-end sushi joint in New York City, however, is receiving backlash for giving one woman considerably smaller portions than her friends — and charging her the same price. Of course, this allegedly discriminatory service has sparked a heated conversation on social media, where word spreads far quicker than the time it takes to consume an extravagant, Michelin Star feast.
Guests at Sushi Noz, owned by Japanese chef Nozomu Abe, spend a whopping $700 per person to experience an omakase tasting menu, which includes various otsumami (small plates), over a dozen types of nigiri, miso soup, tamago, dessert, and a beverage pairing. When TikTok creator Luis Carlos Zaragoza dined at the renowned restaurant for the sixth time, as described in a video posted February 20, they couldn't help but notice an array of culinary blunders. These were unexpected, considering Sushi Noz had just earned its second Michelin Star. Not only was the wine pairing "a bit off and disjointed," according to Zaragoza, but the chef discarded a perfectly good piece of nigiri in front of patrons. What really angered TikTok, though, was the restaurant's treatment of Zaragoza's friend — the only woman in the group — who was informed that she would receive smaller portions than her companions with seemingly no explanation.
TikTok was unimpressed by the restaurant's double standard
The influencer and their friends were surprised to discover Sushi Noz's evidently misogynistic protocol. "We know this is common practice in some places for omakase, but she didn't ask for it," the TikTok creator explained in their video. "And if the price also hasn't been adjusted to account for the smaller portions, then everyone should receive the same amount." Preconceived notions about women's appetites may explain the difference in serving size. Renowned Tokyo sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro, for example, makes each of the 20 sushi pieces included in its omakase menu "smaller for older woman customers." Similarly, a 2022 Eater article about Sukiyabashi Jiro noted that women received smaller portions "supposedly to complement their hand sizes."
@luiscarloszara Sushi Noz in NYC, unfortunately not worth a special trip anymore!! #sushinoz #omakase #sushi #nigiri #finedining #winepairing #japanesefood #seafood #restaurant #restaurantreview #michelin #michelinguide #michelinstar #onemichelinstar #twomichelinstars
Many outraged TikTok users sided with the influencer and their snubbed confidante. "How can they even do that?! Especially for the price??" one user wrote. Another added, "Forced portion control in this day and age is actually [wild,] and this is straight up sexism." Many others were blown away by the restaurant's high price point, with one person saying, "How do you go to a place that is $700 six times?" As for the influencer's final verdict, they said, "Unfortunately, Sushi Noz is definitely not worth the special trip it once was." Whether this was a standalone incident or a common experience for other diners is unknown.