Sushi Chef, Torso with Japanese Logogram '寿司' (Sushi) on Front Pocket Pattern, Black Pants

The Sushi Chef wears a small but wonderfully specific piece of graphic design: the Japanese characters 寿司, meaning ‘sushi,’ printed on the front pocket. Details like that mark the evolution of LEGO’s city populations from broadly symbolic workers into characters tied to recognizable foods, places, and cultures. A chef figure could once be identified by a white hat alone; this 2026 version can communicate a particular culinary tradition before a single accessory is added. Sushi itself is also a useful example of globalization in miniature. What began as a Japanese food tradition is now familiar enough worldwide that LEGO can rely on children and collectors across many countries to recognize the role instantly.