"Omakase" is a Japanese word that means, "Chef, I am in your hands." We don't have a word...or even a gourmet concept....like that, do we?

There was a hilarious article today about a Los Angeles chef who is nicknamed the "Sushi Nazi." Now, you have to have seen the "soup Nazi" on Seinfeld to understand that. He is just really gruff with his customers, and periodically kicks out the ones he doesn't like. He runs a sushi bar in the Omakase style. The signs in his restaurant read, "Today's special: 'Trust me.'" If however the customers try to order what they want anyway, they get tossed. One such customer was actress, Charlize Theron. The chef, who only speaks in broken English, said, "She choice too much."

It sounds like the concept we know as "pot luck".

What is pot luck in England? Here it means everyone brings a dish of food, usually to a picnic or a very informal gathering.

Here it means everyone brings a dish of food

That's one of its meanings here. The other meaning of the word potluck is "Whatever food happens to be available for a meal, especially when offered to a guest".

You see that's the problem with words specifically and language in general: there's nought singular about it/them. Or in other words, which meaning is correct? And which not? Come on, now! We can't have ambiguity or amphibology creeping in and mucking things up.

My, my, jheem is on my back today! I knew I should have looked up potluck before writing about it!

I did learn a new word from you & wordcrafter today..."amphibology." Is amphibology distinguished from ambiguity in that the former is a statement? One definition in dictionary.com is "an ambiguous statement." However, wordcrafter (and other definitions in dictionary.com) says that the ambiguity is because of the grammar. Is amphibology usually an ambiguous statement because of grammar...or could it just be an ambigous statement?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kalleh,

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
"Omakase" is a Japanese word that means, "Chef, I am in your hands." We don't have a word...or even a gourmet concept....like that, do we?

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In the states, Burger King grew to power with its slogan "Have it your way" which is pretty much 180 degrees opposite "Omakase."

Then again, have you seen some of those people flipping burgers at Burger King? I'm not sure I'd want to put myself (much less my burgers) in their hands.