Reviewed by Mathew Benoit, COO of Learn Brands · October 2026
A shopper stands at the sushi case reading the labels like a menu in another language. One asks if the tuna is sushi grade. Another wants to know if the green paste is real wasabi, and a third needs to know what in a roll has wheat. The sushi counter gets more questions than almost any other spot in the store.
Rolled Fresh: A Guide to the Sushi Counter is a free sushi course that covers maki, nigiri and sashimi, what goes into sushi rice and why it gets a pH test, what makes fish safe to eat raw, what "sushi grade" really means, reading a sushi label for allergens, and helping a first timer pick something they'll love. It takes about 20 minutes, self-paced, across five short narrated lessons.
What you'll learn
Five lessons that move from the words in the case to the box in the shopper's hand.
Read the case (Lesson 1). Maki, inside out rolls, nigiri, sashimi and hand rolls, and the word that surprises people: sushi means the seasoned rice, not raw fish.
Rice and the sides (Lesson 2). How sushi rice is seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt, why every batch gets a pH test, and what comes in the box: nori, wasabi, pickled ginger, soy sauce and imitation crab.
Fish for eating raw (Lesson 3). Why "sushi grade" isn't an official term, how freezing makes most fish safe to eat raw, the tuna and farmed salmon exceptions, holding fish at 41°F or colder, and what on top is always cooked.
Safe, labeled and fresh (Lesson 4). Gloves on ready to eat food, the pack label and the raw seafood note, and the allergens in sushi: fish, shellfish, soy, wheat, sesame, egg and milk.
Help them choose (Lesson 5). Easy first rolls, how to dip and enjoy it, sides and party platters, and how to get sushi home cold and eat it the same day.
How the course works
Each lesson is a short narrated walkthrough with photos from sushi counters and home tables. Short activities keep it moving: sort the case into raw, cooked or no fish, match what's in the box, call fact or myth on what shoppers say about raw fish, flip cards on what's raw and what's cooked, find the allergen, read a sushi label, and put the steps for helping a first timer in order.
At the start you pick your role: sushi chef, grocery team, department lead, or home cook. The course adds tips for that role in every lesson, and practice customers let you try it out loud: a shopper who is nervous about raw fish, a shopper with questions in the aisle, and a friend hosting sushi night for six.
It closes with a 12-question final quiz. Ten correct passes. It is online and self-paced, and it works on a phone, tablet, or desktop.
Who this is for
Sushi chefs and counter staff, grocery team members who stock the case or answer shoppers on the floor, and department leads who train their teams. It also fits anyone who loves sushi and wants to order, buy and serve it with confidence.
What you walk away with
You'll be able to name what's in the case, explain what makes fish safe to eat raw, read a sushi label with a shopper who has an allergy, point a first timer to a roll they'll enjoy, and tell them how to keep it fresh on the way home.
Free to enroll. Self-paced. Certificate on completion.
Who built this course
Rolled Fresh: A Guide to the Sushi Counter was created by the Learn Brands education team under the direction of Mathew Benoit, COO and Creative Director of Learn Brands. Mathew grew up working in his family's store, and Learn Brands now trains store teams at more than 3,500 retailers. The course is built from the questions sushi counter and grocery teams actually get asked.
How we checked the facts
Freezing, cold holding, gloves, rice acidity and the raw seafood note were checked against the FDA Food Code and the FDA's guidance on parasites in fish, allergens against the FDA's list of major food allergens, imitation crab against NOAA Fisheries, home storage against FoodSafety.gov, and sushi terms against Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Japan National Tourism Organization. Every photo was checked by eye to make sure it shows what the lesson says.
Last reviewed November 2026.
Sushi FAQ
Is this course free?
Yes. Rolled Fresh: A Guide to the Sushi Counter is part of the free Core Education Suite, free to take and free to assign to your team. No cost, no subscription, no card required. A certificate is issued on completion.
How long does it take?
About 20 minutes, self-paced: five short narrated lessons, short activities, practice customers, and a 12-question final quiz. You can stop and pick up where you left off.
Do I need to know anything about sushi first?
No. The course starts with the five words on most sushi labels and builds from there. Experienced counter staff use it to sharpen how they explain raw fish, allergens and first rolls to shoppers.
What does sushi grade mean?
It is a sales term, not an official grade. No government grade stands behind it. What makes most fish safe to eat raw is freezing it first, cold enough and long enough to kill parasites. Lesson 3 explains it.
Is the wasabi in a sushi box real?
Usually not. Outside Japan, most wasabi is horseradish and mustard colored green. Lesson 2 covers what comes in the box.
Is all sushi raw fish?
No. Sushi means the seasoned rice. California rolls, cucumber rolls and shrimp tempura rolls have no raw fish, and eel and shrimp nigiri are cooked. Lessons 1 and 3 cover it.
Is this a food handler card?
No. It is general education about sushi, including how it is kept and handled safely. If your state or county requires a food handler card, you'll need to get that separately, for example with the Learn2Serve National Food Handler Certificate, which is ANAB accredited and done online.
Can I enroll my whole team?
Yes. Create a free company account, assign the course, and track who has started and finished from the Learn Brands dashboard.
Train your team
Want your team selling more at the counter? Retail Sales Academy covers communication, suggestive selling, upselling and service recovery for store teams. Buying for a team? Register your business free and assign seats across your whole staff.
Related courses
Keep going with the rest of the grocery series: Catch of the Day: A Guide to the Seafood Counter, Prime to Wagyu: A Guide to Premium Beef, Cut to Order: A Guide to the Meat Case, Fresh Picks: A Guide to the Produce Department and Cheese 101: From Milk to Board, and find something to pour beside it with Sake: From Rice to Glass. Browse the free Core Education Suite.
About the reviewer
Mathew Benoit is COO of Learn Brands. He has a family liquor store background, spent more than eight years as Marketing Director at the distributor Vinocopia, and has represented brands nationally. Read Mathew's full bio.
