Other than Sushi or Ramen, I know that Japan actually serves [Torisashi (Raw Chicken)](https://www.google.com/search?q=%E9%B6%8F%E5%88%BA%E3%81%97&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjKuoX72f38AhXUGDQIHSkaDTEQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1536&bih=797&dpr=1.25#imgrc=7EEMJ7E0xPuUqM) / [Basashi (Raw Horse)](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&hl=ja&source=lnms&tbm=isch&si=AEcPFx7eHRJU0tWbjC5cc2C2rVygfPuoetC2JDc0IDqLp89f-DgEdsLKZXU35urxC1CbGDExQgQBeZDCP6XLiESa5ogPBdq0S2t8rNTaOtEqVIPUx8H6BhOy0R34yq2MZ0w7MSNb256xCRLK2is4iEWz5GdTB_t84xY5ZrIadm0BEUfMzb26rbIbO0_UEmwDKAsklmxpcyQKnw4q-z988U3bXYemc-5S8R5C5CHmZFlxvhMvxRLnB58Sb_Rs_hkeT1DRSFSlbkWY-VDk78gTH9xUHwD8FtMBUY320hxL-GrVWMGhqeZsG6i7slow0pirjfOgBSGUyqTT&q=%E9%A6%AC%E5%88%BA%E3%81%97&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQjbaP2v38AhUdCTQIHaWaDyUQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1536&bih=797&dpr=1.25#imgrc=IQf4m_XiRUhoNM) sashimi, with is a delicacy mainly found in Izakayas or certain restaurants throughout the country, both seem controversial as they aren’t cooked at all, served completely **raw** on a plate. Counting other forms of meat sources they indulge in such as Whales or dolphins, not forgetting to include Shark fins or turtles.

I know that restaurants in the UK have various cuisines, including Japanese, Korean and etc. What would be the reaction of Brits if they entered a Japanese restaurant in the UK that actually has raw chicken or horse meat on the menu?

15 comments
  1. Very few indigenous Brits would knowingly choose any of those items as a regular meal. They might try whale once just to see what it is like, but there are massive cultural barriers to all of that in the UK.

  2. There would be people happy to try it, myself included, but whether it would be enough of a USP to generate interest, I don’t know.

  3. From what I understand, raw chicken carries campylobacter bacteria which causes food poisoning, it’s found in the gut of chickens and spreads to the rest of the bird because of the way it is processed. Something like half of the chicken sold in the uk carries this or salmonella etc. the risk can be reduced by changing the food processing method, which is how you’re able to find it served raw sometimes elsewhere, but I think you’d be hard pushed to do this in the UK. Even if you could _technically_ I suspect from a quick scan of the food hygiene regulations you wouldn’t be able to.

    We’ve been eating horse for years… just mince it and call it beef…

  4. I’m not sure if it would even be allowed under food regulations.

    But even if it was, you *might* get the occasional person who would be curious to try it once, but that’s not really a sold foundation for a long-term business.

  5. I would happily pay to have many annoying Youtuber and Ticktockers force fed raw chicken for clicks.

    I’m sure I’m not alone. So on that basis, I think it’s a solid business plan.

  6. I’ve had steak tartare a few times and love it, I wouldn’t have a problem with a properly prepared horse tartare.

    Raw chicken, I can’t imagine I’d do that because of our pre-programming to avoid it as we would a side dish of nerve gas.

    Some of your other suggestions are problematic because they are seen as not food but status symbols and cause issues with their ‘farming’ practices.

  7. I don’t think it is a good business idea. Firstly I’m doubtful it would be popular. Raw meat is not generally popular among the British. Nor is horsemeat, remember the 2013 horsemeat scandal.

    The second issue is the risk of food poisoning. Don’t think it doesn’t happen in Japan, it happens all the time. Increased rates of Campylobacter food poisoning have been linked to the increased consumption of raw chicken.

  8. A LOT of Chinese places in the UK have stuff on the menu that Westerners would not eat, BUT that menu is available only in Chinese, so Westerners are not aware of it and indeed do not get offered that menu hahaha.

  9. British people don’t knowingly eat horsemeat, because the horse is generally beloved as an animal, as cats and dogs are.

    As others are saying, steak tartare is served often enough that the concept of rawness itself is not in question.

    We get told a lot that raw chicken is too dangerous to eat, so no-one would want to do it.

    With weird stuff like the other animals you mention, there is not simply a culture barrier (a pub I know serves ostrich, crocodile, llama etc steak, and I’ve even seen these in Sainsburys over the years) but there would be resistance to eating meats that are regarded as not sustainable or involve eating endangered species.

  10. The concept of izakayas would probably do pretty well in the UK, booze with small servings of food sounds like a winning combo, but you’d have to adapt the food menu to suit British palates and cost of ingredients locally. Raw chicken and horse would be a very hard sell in the UK. Yakitori (skewered chicken) would be hugely popular.

  11. I suspect selling Dolphin and Whale meat would guarantee a permanent demonstration outside the restaurant. While you might attract a few ‘edgy’ clients who would visit to make videos for social media, you’d struggle to sell egg friend rice from such a place to the majority of the UK.

    It’s ironic that the attitude of the Japanese to endangered species actually attracts more disapproval than their on-going denial of war crimes committed in the second world war (including their torture of British POW’s) But that’s the British public I guess.

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