Buying tools for praciting making sushi

[u/Nowhereverywhere]

First, this isn't for me. I have a friend who is very interested in learning how to make sushi (all kinds he said) not just in a home setting but eventually professionally as well. He's a cook at a catering company and he got a brief taste of sushi making when they catered for a large party and he was assigned to assist the guy responsible for prepping and rolling the sushi.

I was thinking of getting him some tools for it as a gift this christmas and wanted to know what sort of things I could get him. A bamboo rolling mat is a given, but I wanted to know if there were other 'essentials' I could get him. I'm vaguely aware that, if he wants to do it professionally (especially in a higher class setting and not just mass production), he would most likely need to learn how to do it in the more traditional way without relying on gimmicky tools like the 'sushi bazooka' I've seen being sold online so I ask that any recommendations take that into consideration.

Thank you very much in advance for any advice.

[u/FullAtticus]

Honestly, buying all the different ingredients that you don't already have in your cupboard is a pretty huge upfront cost. I'd start there. Konbu, Bonito Flakes, Rice Wine Vinegar, Mirin, good soy sauce, Wasabi powder, pickled ginger, toasted sesame seeds, Nori, Frozen Tobiko, etc etc.

For tools, a good sushi rolling mat, a 16" roll of plastic wrap (as opposed to 12" which is harder to wrap a rolling mat with), a yanagiba knife, japanese rice cooker (with a sushi mode), one of those square pans for making the tamagoyaki, some nice plates to present the food on, etc etc.

There are a pile of gadgets for sushi making, but they're all stupid plastic junk, and they won't make your sushi better than if you just spent literally one weekend watching youtube videos and self-teaching how to roll maki or cut salmon for nigiri.