Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was at the podium Wednesday at the Chiefs practice facility, answering questions about Friday’s preseason game against the Bears and the upcoming season.
Smith-Schuster, 28, is preparing for his third season with the Chiefs and eighth in the NFL, and the final question of the day was about what he’s done to get in such good shape.
“I think a lot of times I would put my family first when it comes to the offseason,” Smith-Schuster. “But this time, I kind of like ... put myself first, and really focused on that. So, this offense is you gotta run fast. Gotta keep going.”
Smith-Schuster, who had 18 receptions for 231 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 14 games a year ago, took a step toward the door. He then stopped and asked a question of the media.
“Hey, you guys like sushi?” Smith-Schuster said.
A few people responded in the affirmative.
“All right, this place called Kota Nori. It’s downtown,” Smith-Schuster said. “Best sushi spot.”
A 2023 Kansas City Star story noted that Kata Nori, which is at 404 East 18th St., is known for its hand rolls (also called temaki).
The Star’s David Hudnall said a sushi chef puts fish (raw or cooked), vegetables and rice into a sheet of seawood, rolls it up, and hands it to a customer, who eats it like a burrito.
“The seaweed is crispy, the rice is warm, and the fish is cool,” Nam Phan, co-owner of Kata Nori. told The Star “And that combination makes for a different kind of sushi experience.”
It’s obviously one that has made an impression on Smith-Schuster.