Martha Stewart's Favorite Place To Travel For Fish Is Outside The States

Queen Martha has done a lot in her life, including cooking for presidents, launching empires, and becoming a lifestyle icon with a famously high bar. So, when she says her favorite place to visit is Japan while singing their praises for the quality of fish they serve there, you listen.

In a recent interview with People, the culinary guru said that if she could eat fish tartare every day, she would. She dove deeper to say she'd switch up the fish depending on what's freshest. Fluke, flounder, tuna, hake — whatever was just caught and handled with care, that's what she's going for. For someone who's dined just about everywhere, that's saying something.

Martha clearly admires Japan's approach to seafood, which equates to clean cuts, pristine flavors, and minimal interference. The icon's love for the country makes sense, since the country's culinary philosophy is aligned with how Stewart cooks, gardens, and lives.

Miss Martha has always had an air of elegance, from her bougie, favorite pizza topping to what she really thought of the food during her stint in prison. But in this particular case, Stewart appears impressed by the lack of over-the-top seasoning and garnishes. Japan's seafood culture is built on an obsessive attention to freshness, texture, and knife work. From Tokyo fish markets to countryside sushi bars, chefs are trained not just to serve fish, but to respect it. A perfectly handled piece of sushi doesn't need to be drowned in soy sauce – it needs precision and timing. 

In Japan, diners know their seafood. Sushi, in particular, follows tight unspoken cultural regulations and is often consumed within hours of being caught. That's not to say you can't find fresh, delicious fish in America, but there's an attention to detail in Japan that remains unmatched. For someone like Stewart, who's used to curating every detail of a dish, that kind of reliability is hard to overstate. The standard of excellence regarding fish over in Japan isn't rare, it's expected. No wonder it's left such a lasting impression on one of the most respected cooks alive.