Barack Obama sushi by chef Ken Kawasuma.
Photo courtesy MSN Japan.

Somehow we missed this back in 2009, and only recently came across it on the MSN Japan website.

Sushi Chef Ken Kawasumi of Tokyo Sushi Academy took the 2009 championship title in Japan’s National Sushi Awards, with his sushi interpretation of President Barack Obama.

This is a sushi roll, rolled on a bamboo mat like all other maki sushi. How can anyone top it?

Obamazushi is just one of the stupefying creations of the brilliant Chef Kawasumi, whom we consider to be the Andy Warhol of edible art.

Check out “Ken Kawasumi” on Google Images. It will make you want to book a trip to Yokohama to dine at his restaurant, Sushisho Kawasumi.

In fact, Sushisho Kawasumi has replaced The Fat Duck as the restaurant to which we’d most like to win a trip. Kawasumi’s seemingly limitless repertoire extends from panda-shaped sushi to life-size sushi “paintings,” including an edible version of Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers.”

If you won’t be heading to Yokahama anytime soon, check out Chef Kawasumi’s books:

 
Learn your sushi by reading our beautiful Sushi Glossary.