I recently set out on a mission to find it in South Florida. It only took a few phone calls and a half hour, here's how it went down.
Shoji & Shoji Sushi - 100 Collins Ave Miami Beach
Manager - We don't do it here, but yeah that's been around for yeeeaars. Around 1999 was probably the first time I saw it, I think at Opium Gardens. I've had people ask about it privately, not really through the restaurant. That kind of thing wouldn't really be at a regular venue...more likeely at an ultra lounge a private event on a yacht or at a house. You have to hire models, place the order for sushi or sashimi, and then come up with an idea for placement.
Mr. Sushi Catering - 6060 S Falls Circle Dr # 402 Lauderhill, FL
(Wan is "Mr. Sushi" himself)
Wan - I don't do that, but I tell you, my friend Steve does it.
Short Order - Well I want a girl to do it.
Wan - Well here I give you his number.
Yin Yang Enterprises - www.BodySushiExperience.com
(Steve owns and operates a catering company serving South Florida.)
Short Order - So tell me about this whole naked sushi deal.
Steve - We do it tastefully, there's no nudity. It's a health code thing, so we don't put the sushi on naked flesh, we put it on banana leaves. Basically the model lays down in a bikini. It's kind of a living art rather than a sexual experience. We look for a sophisticated clientele, no bachelor parties, more high end, people with money, big hotels, sponsors of a nice event, intimate dinner parties of 8-10 people. We supply the whole ambiance. We bring the tables, the dishes, music, we bring the whole experience. In a hotel, the girl becomes more of a centerpiece. The sushi is on her, but also around her. The chef will stand to the side of the table and make sushi and then an attendant will refill the girl so to speak. We also have male models for rich business women and gay clientele, the models can't be hairy obviously because we're dealing with food.
Its not our main business. People order it from time to time. It's not cheap, so people who wanna spend a few thousand dollars do it. I have a catering business. When I sell my events I say hey, I can provide this. We're like sushi rock stars, the whole attitude is there. I was a pro musician for this band Avalon up in the Northeast. I bring the flavor, it's a hip type of thing that generates excitement, it's been a huge success.
Our motto is anytime, anywhere. We've been flown out to California to do events. We did a party for the founder of Netscape up at his house in Palm Beach. We did a fundraiser for Itzhak Perlman this year, he's gonna be playing Obama's inauguration. We do private parties for people with a lot of money, mostly by word of mouth. People are at a party and say 'Oh I wanna do this.' Next thing we get is a phone call. We've got business from Palm Beach down to Miami.
When you make people feel good with food, you got your ace in the hole. I hear a lot of "Let this guy through he's my sushi guy." Miami is branching out for me too. I provide the sushi for Milam's in the Gables and the Grove. All those little sushis are my babies. We do peanut butter and jelly rolls, dessert sushi with strawberries and other fruits. For Thanksgiving, I did a pilgrim roll with turkey, cranberry, lettuce and hot gravy. I swear to god man it was like a hot turkey sandwich. Food's gotta be fun, you gotta stretch boundaries. People are so jaded, I wanna wow the people so that they go "oh man did you see that," and then they tell their friends.
