Would you pay 2,000 dollar (about 1,800 euro) for five pieces of nigiri sushi? The most expensive sushi in the world was created by Chef Angelito Araneta Jr. from the Phillipines. It’s wrapped in 24-carat gold leaf and garnished with diamonds. The diamonds are not meant to eat; chances are sharp edges will damage your innards. But gold leaf is edible, although tasteless. In general, the more carats, the more gold becomes edible. From 22 carats it’s completely safe to eat. The gold will pass through your digestive tract without being absorbed.
For those of you with some money to spare, Chef Deveaux created the exclusive Millonaire Sushi roll. It’s enhanced with foie gras with layered black truffels, black caviar and flakes of gold leaf. This recipe may put a dent in your bank balance, but enjoying this extravaganza will make you undoubtedly feel like a million dollar!
Step 1: preparing the filling
- Put a half sheet of nori lengthways in front of you on a cutting board. Spread 120 grams of cooked sushi rice evenly on the nori, using your fingers to gently fluff the rice. Make sure the rice evenly covers the whole sheet.
- Move the nori to the top of the cutting board. Wipe the surface of the board with a moistened tea towel. This will prevent the rice from sticking to the board.
- Flip over the nori sheet. Then use a knife to put the grilled unagi filet at the center of the sheet (lengthways), followed by the sliced cucumber. Arrange the cucumber in front of the unagi. Make sure it extends to the entire length of the nori sheet.

Step 4: adding the indulgent toppings
- Scrape a thin sliver of foie gras on a butter knife and transfer it onto a slice of sushi. You may find it helpful to use a second knife to do this. Do the same for all sushi slices.
- Use a blow-torch to gently brûlée (brown) the foie gras. This releases the delicious, earthy aroma of the black truffle. Hold the blow-torch approximately 3 inches from the surface of the slice for just a few seconds. Do the same with all foie gras slices.
- Now add the caviar. Simply heap a little on the end of a teaspoon, then use a second spoon to push it onto the foie gras. For best results, do this while the foie gras is still warm. This will help the roe to adhere. Repeat this step for all six slices.
- Sprinkle a fine dusting of edible gold leaf over each slice.
- Mix 1 part of truffle oil with 10 part of Extra Virgin olive oil. Drizzle a little bit of the mixture over the sushi slices and serve.
Step 5: serving the sushi
Position all six slices on a dark sushi board at a 45-degree angle. Leave some space between the slices. Put small ‘nests’ of brightly colored, shredded vegetables (such as cucumber and carrot) behind each slice. As a final touch to the opulent esthetic, add a few ornately carved pieces of wasabi. Now you’re ready to eat and feel like a million dollar!