World's Largest Sushi Roll At Sea Created For Holland America

All-you-can-eat sushi bars and cruise dining plans are common, but even Moby Dick would have a tough time consuming this whale of a feast.

To celebrate International Sushi Day – June 18, if you're keeping track – Holland America Line created the world's largest sushi roll at sea while on this month's Food & Beverage Aficionado Cruise in Norway. Created by chef Andy Matsuda on board the Koningsdam ship, the "World Mega Roll" was 49 feet long before being rolled into a single finished piece measuring three feet, three inches wide and weighing nearly 100 pounds.

Matsuda and his kitchen staff showed off their raw talent by assembling the world-record sushi roll on the pool deck. Cruise guests witnessed the process, which involved 70 pounds of sushi rice and 150 sheets of Nori seaweed, plus more than 13 pounds of crab, salmon, shrimp, tuna, tobiko (flying fish roe), tamago (Japanese omelet), cucumber, red onion, and radish. The ship's Jacuzzi, we're sorry to report, was not filled with soy sauce for the occasion.

The fishy stunt was Holland America's clever way of announcing that the line's newest ship, Nieuw Statendam, will launch in December 2018 and will feature Matsuda's next sushi restaurant, Nami Sushi. Since 2016, Matsuda has been in charge of the sushi menu of Tamarind, the award-winning Asian-fusion restaurant on board several Holland America ships. Although sushi has become ubiquitous across America, there may be a few things you don't know about the dish.