Ahi Tuna Tartare

Only use sushi-grade tuna from a trusted fishmonger. Keep tuna very cold until ready to serve. Dice uniformly for best texture. Don't overdress or the fish will "cook" in the acid. The ring mold creates restaurant-style presentation. Serve immediately after dressing.

Ahi tuna tartare at the fine-dining level represents the deliberate synthesis of three culinary traditions that converged in California and Hawaii during the 1980s and 1990s. The French tradition of beef tartare — raw beef finely cut and seasoned — was documented in French culinary literature by the late 19th century and refined in Parisian brasseries throughout the 20th; the technique of treating raw protein with minimal intervention to highlight quality is the underlying principle. Japanese sashimi and tataki — precisely sliced raw fish served with soy and citrus accompaniments — brought rigorous standards for raw-fish freshness and the pairing of ahi tuna with clean, bright flavors. Hawaiian poke established ahi tuna with shoyu, sesame, and green onion as the defining raw-fish flavor combination of the Pacific, solidifying in popularity by the 1970s. The synthesis into a restaurant format called "tuna tartare" emerged as Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, and other chefs of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement formalized Pacific Rim cooking in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The movement was formally launched in 1991 when twelve Hawaii chefs signed a charter to promote locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients through techniques blending Asian, Pacific, and Western influences. The composed tartare — cubed, seasoned, and served with crisp won ton or sesame crackers — became a signature of this cuisine.