Walking the tree-lined streets of Porta Venezia, Milan, it becomes clear that 72-year-old sushi master, Minoru "Shiro" Hirasawa is a beloved figure in the neighborhood.

He's a tall man, easy to spot in his white chef's uniform and hachimaki headband. When a pair of women notice him from across the street, they wave and call out his name. Shiro smiles and returns the greeting, rattling off Italian pleasantries.

A moment later, an older gentleman stops him to chat. Shaking Shiro's hands like a politician, realizing we're in the middle of an interview, he says more than once that Shiro is "the best."