When Francine tries to get Stan and Steve to try new foods in "The Enlightenment of Ragi-Baba", she takes them out for sushi. They are skeptical at first, but they find they enjoy the food immensely. Their compliments inspire Haruki to take them on as his apprentices, much to the dismay of Hisashi, to whom he has refused to share his secrets with. He teaches the pair about the treatment of rice and buying rotting fish to turn out proper sushi. He rewards their successful efforts by turning over his restaurant to them, again to the dismay of Hisashi who had hoped to have it. He finds himself uncomfortably in their employment as they at first assure him that they will be happy to continue to have him, only to fire him shortly after.