Tojo and California Roll ~~~ what is the truth ?

[ime2006]

I am very confused here.

Just typed in California Roll in Google.
Wiki says
In the 1960s, Los Angeles, California became the entry point for sushi chefs from Japan seeking to make their fortune in the United States. The Tokyo Kaikan restaurant then featured one of the first sushi bars in Los Angeles. Ichiro Mashita, a sushi chef at the Kaikan, began substituting avocado for toro (fatty tuna), and after further experimentation, the California roll was born.


But Tojo website also says
For those who felt uneasy about eating raw fish, there was cooked crabmeat
and avacodo, rolled “inside out” to hide the seaweed wrapper (another challenge for many). Thus was born what is now universally known as the “California roll”—not for its land of origin, but for the avocado. Today this is the staple sushi for millions of North Americans who have no idea that it originated with Tojo, in Canada.

http://www.tojos.com/tojomenu.pdf



So........Was california roll Really originally invented by Tojo ????

[Obsideon]

I find it strange why he would name the roll a CALIFORNIA roll if he did indeed invent it and Tojo's is based in Vancouver.

[ime2006]

Originally Posted by Obsideon

I find it strange why he would name the roll a CALIFORNIA roll if he did indeed invent it and Tojo's is based in Vancouver.

thats exactly why I am so confused and doubt if Tojo invented California roll.

If he didn't invent California roll and he uses it for marketing. He could get sued!!

[Culture_Vulture]

sued by the state of california? not likely

[sonick]

Originally Posted by Obsideon

I find it strange why he would name the roll a CALIFORNIA roll if he did indeed invent it and Tojo's is based in Vancouver.

Originally Posted by ime2006

thats exactly why I am so confused and doubt if Tojo invented California roll.

If he didn't invent California roll and he uses it for marketing. He could get sued!!

The menu explains why it was named California roll. Whether or not the story itself is true is another story:

universally known as the “California roll”—not for its land of origin, but for the avocado

Similar reasoning for the Hawaiian Pizza, invented in Ontario, was named because of the Pineapple.

[Obsideon]

Super off-topic: Kamei Royale invented the BC Roll, not as popular as the Cali roll though

[Senna4ever]

Originally Posted by sonick

Similar reasoning for the Hawaiian Pizza, invented in Ontario, was named because of the Pineapple.

Ironic, as pineapples aren't native to Hawaii.

I highly doubt that Tojo was the first to invent what we now know as the California Roll. He may have come up with it on his own without knowing that it already existed somewhere else, maybe. Or maybe he came up with the asparagus in the roll, as at Tojo's, the "Tojo Roll" is really just a California Roll with an asparagus stalk inside, IIRC.