Welcome To The Club By Atlas
Acknowledgements I want to thank the (Freestyle) Academy, to whom I am forever indebted. They have given me the resources, knowledge, and opportunity to create my own book. I’d also like to thank the Sushi Club and all my interviewees for so kindly allowing me to inconvenience them on multiple occasions. I want to thank my fellow employees over at Atlas Corporations who are always there for me and support me through thick and thin. Thanks for providing the moral support to help me through this emotional turmoil. Shout out to my boi John... You my Boi.
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface.....................................................................7 Introduction...........................................................9 Chapter 1...............................................................11 Chapter 2...............................................................14 Chapter 3...............................................................21 Conclusion............................................................27 Works Cited...........................................................29
Preface
(It’s like a foreword. But French?)
As an unknowledgeable, inexperienced, and incompetent teenager, I was overwhelmed by the tasking task of creating a documentary. A terrifying feat that no man, woman, child, animal, nor lamp should ever have to experience. But yet, the gods had forsaken me and thus I was burdened with making this book. It was quite the overwhelming experience. The stress it caused me has probably taken away 10 years of my life… When the project was initially announced, I was terrified beyond belief. Responsibility is not my forte. We had to find a local and relatively unknown location so I proceeded to flounder about in search for a good research topic and after a good amount of floundering, I found the Sushi Club. A nice little shop that was relatively unheard of. The perfect little shop for my project. The Sushi Club is run by a Korean that’s been hanging around for 2 years. It’s not a shop that stands out. The sushi is organic but so is everybody else’s sushi. So with nothing that really stood out about the restaurant, I hit a wall. A very tall, wide, and hard metaphorical wall. It was difficult for me to cover an issue when there was no obvious issue to cover. Looking for ideas, I took a look at the bigger topic: Sushi in general. Particularly, the authenticity of it. A major challenge that I had to face was my own incompetence, lack of motivation, and procrastination. A fierce and epic battle raged in mind between The Do Work Nation and the Clan of Do Something Else. Over multiple weeks of bloody battling, The Nation of Do Work won. Another major challenge was the change of management at the Sushi Club. This was a huge surprise that sprung up during the course of my project, a surprise that I didn’t really enjoy. Like a surprise male stripper for a surprise birthday party that isn’t on your birthday (If this happens, you need new friends). It really put a stop in my plans because I couldn’t go back to take any pictures because the new manager decided to remodel the restaurant. I couldn’t really do anything about this. I didn’t want to get in the way of CAPITALISM and PROGRESS. So yeah… Over the course of this project, I got to get a good feel of the environment of the Sushi Club. It has a very friendly atmosphere to it. The staff and chef will mingle with customers in their free time and everybody seems to enjoy the food and the feel of the place. I really came to appreciate the restaurant and I hope that this book could spread the Sushi Club love.
7
Introduction When someone first walks up to the Sushi Club, one would expect an unstoppable tidal wave of culture slap you in the face like a flopping fish and sweep you off your feet upon entering the premises. The restaurant should be filled with kimono wearing waitresses, the smell of sake and fresh fish, sumo wrestling and anime playing on a TV, and Jpop blasting in the background. Nope, nope, nope, and nope. You’ll walk into this restaurant and be overwhelmed by the sheer un-Japanese-ness of it. The friendly, modern posh-y shop has a cafe style to it. There is no arousing smell of sushi that circum-ventilates the shop and, to be quite frank, you really wouldn’t want that kind of smell. So if it’s not super Japanese, then it must be super crazy and western. With crazy adventurous flavors like sweet, sour, and spicy. But to your surprise, there’s nothing like that in the menu. No crazy spider sweet roll or sushi burrito. Just traditional sushi and other Japanese whatnots. So what does that make the Sushi Club? Authentic or not authentic? It doesn’t heavily rely on Japanese culture, yet they still serve traditional sushi. Differentiating the authentic from the inauthentic often feels like a contest only the snobby play. When it comes to culture, authenticity is a subjective and ever-shifting standard. For example, a customer who I interviewed, Mr. Alvin Tran, believes that as long as you know how to make it, it’s authentic. I agree with his perspective. If you are trained in the art of sushi making, then you most likely learned from a professional who is knowledgeable and skilled in the traditional methods of making sushi. Therefore I believe it’s authentic.
10
F
Chapter 1 Forward To Authenticity
irst, why should anyone care about the authenticity of sushi? Why does it matter? Well, because everyone is interested in culture, whether it be traditions, holidays, or cuisine. Authenticity matters to people who care about genuine cultural experiences or who have pride in their places of origin. In this particular case, sushi is valued as an extremely
important piece of culture to Japan. They take pride in their sushi. A lot of pride. Because not only do they see it as food, but as art. The appearance, presentation, style, and taste all come together to create the art form we know as sushi. So, yeah. Extremely important. Second, how does one define authentic sushi? To answer this, we have to define authenticity.
So what defines authenticity? According to the Oxford dictionary, authenticity means, “Made or done in the traditional or original way.� With this definition in mind, I say to you, that the sushi at the Sushi Club is most definitely authentic. But not authentic to Japan. Does that make sense? Let me explain. Authenticity is made or being done
11
in the traditional or original way. You may think that if it’s not made the Japanese way, it must not be traditional but that isn’t the case. The sushi in Ameri ca is traditional to itself. Every sushi restaurant that serves sushi with rice on the outside isn’t Japanese. It’s an American Japanese fusion food that was born 1970, around the time Japanese immigrants were trying to integrate into American society. Take, for example, the California sushi roll. Ever wonder why it’s called a “California” roll? Because it’s a California fusion sushi that’s wrapped inside out (the rice is on the outside, whereas in Japan the seaweed is on the outside). This is traditional to California and we’ve become accustomed to it over the years and therefore makes 12
it authentic and traditional to us. Despite the fact that it isn’t traditional to Japan, it is still traditional to the United States of America. Yet, sushi purists refuse to eat sushi that isn’t
authentically Japanese. They are hell bent on the idea of Japanese male owned and made sushi. If it’s Korean-owned, they won’t eat it. If it’s Chinese-owned, they won’t eat it. If it’s not authentic, they won’t eat
it. Neither do they approve of the California roll idea. They only want traditionally made sushi from Japanese people. And it’s not just limited to customers. There are sushi purist chefs who will kick you out for asking for a
California roll. There are even some restaurants out there that don’t give you a menu. The chef will just pop out sushi that they believe is right for you. Their house special is Trust The Chef.
Their idea of prioritizing their traditional values is fair. I respect that they value their culture and their way of doing things. Even though when they keep to their old ways, it hinders evolution and innovation in the sushi world. Without innovation, we wouldn’t have frushi (fruit sushi) or sushirritos (sushi burrito), which I’m not sure is a good thing or a bad thing in this case. The only problem I have with sushi purists, is that they want their chefs to be Japanese males. As Alvin Tran said, “I think that’s racist. It’s unfair to just discriminate on food because it was made by someone of a different race”. I agree with his
statement but not only is it racist but sexist as well. They want a Japanese MALE. Because it’s a traditionally a craft that is handed down from generation to generation of men, it’s generally unheard of to have female chefs. I think that’s pretty racist and sexist of them. Everyone else is trying hard to be successful and these sushi purists are just trampling all over everyone else’s efforts just because they aren’t a Japanese male. Good thing there are those who oppose these ideals. For example, Nadeshico Sushi is a restaurant that’s run and has sushi made by Japanese women. Go feminism and gender equality! Down with the
patriarchy! All men are pigs! Wait… Sushi Club manager and chef, Jason Yoon, pays no mind to the sushi purists. He stands behind an open bar facing the door. Standing as a figurehead for all NonJapanese sushi chefs, it almost seems as if he’s proudly stating he’s a Korean sushi chef. “If they don’t want to eat my sushi, then they don’t want to eat my sushi. I’m not going to force them. Not like I’ve ever had to deal with them personally or anything.” Despite this, he does believe his sushi is authentic and so do I.
13
Chapter 2 To Art or Not To Art
H
ow does one make an appealing piece of sushi though? I mean, what’s so appealing about a Japanese dish consisting of thin slices of raw fish or seaweed wrapped around a cake of cooked rice? The thought of it isn’t too appealing so how do sushi chefs do it? Well, I believe it’s through the use of art. Stunningly presented to each who orders it, a beautiful picture of form and color not found in just any
14
other food. It is a culinary work of art. Sushi as an art form transcends race. Art can be done by anyone. However, mastering an art is what only a few can accomplish. However, you don’t have to be Japanese to practice it to perfection. In sushi’s case, the artist/chef must make an appealing sushi that causes others to crave more of your creation. For example, the 14th annual “Art of Sushi” was a cutup covered by Washington Times.
It was a demonstration by master grand champion sushi chefs from Japan. The following is how they described the event. “Dressed in white hats and smocks, the chefs stood side by side and buzzed about, looking like children playing with Play-doh. Dipping their hands in vinegar and water before touching each morsel, the chefs performed sleight of hand with rice and fish.” Does this not sound artsy and majestic? Are you not
satisfied? Chefs there believe it is an art form, in the samurai tradition, and use all of their senses to prepare the morsels following a centuries-old ritual. “First there is color, the sense with your eyes; then you feel the taste with your tongue,” said one of the sushi chefs there. Every sushi chef has a different way of doing things. They pour their heart and soul into their sushi to give it a bit of their personality, which is what makes them so special. It’s also why there are so many variations to sushi. Just like a snowflake, there isn’t any sushi that is exactly alike. What
Jason Yoon does differently is he sees his sushi as, “nothing more than a labor”. This may be a bit confusing so let me explain. His view on sushi is nothing more than work. So he keeps it simplistic and original. That’s his style of art. Simplistic and textbook. This may not seem like art to you but think about it this way. In the contemporary art world, there are many works that contain nothing more that single dots or geometric shapes. Very simple and minimalistic and still considered art. Although, minimalism is an art form that’s supposed to avoid metaphorical associations, symbolism, and
suggestions of spiritual transcendence which matches the characteristics (or lack thereof) of the Mr. Yoon’s sushi making style. Others may criticize this because art should be a way to express oneself and should not be seen as a labor but I disagree. The way Mr. Yoon’s style of sushi art is his own way of doing things. Even if he may not consider it an art, it is his style and his alone. You may criticize and judge all you want but that is the way he does things.
20
Chapter 3 Koreans Do it Better
K
oreans do it better. This is quite the bold claim if I do say so myself. How can Koreans make sushi better than the Japanese, the creators of sushi? Well, let me ask you a few questions. Do you like sushi? If so, then you probably like sushi that’s made by a Korean. According to statistics gathered by the LA times, only 10% of California’s sushi
restaurants are Japanese run. So there’s statistically a 90% chance that you like a Non-Japanese sushi chef ’s sushi (and it’s still on the rise). Next question, what is the name of the sushi shop you enjoy most? If it’s got well known Japanese words in it, (e.g. Godzilla, Mt. Fuji, sushi, etc.) then chances are it’s not Japanese run. That’s 2 for 2.There’s also the irrefutable
proof of Non-Japanese when they have kimchee, bibimbap, or any other fusioned babies of science and ingenuity. So at this point you have most likely eaten at a restaurant that’s not run by a Japanese person. Emphasis on most likely. I’m sure a handful of you readers are just so proud to not be within the majority. Your inner hipster is just doing it’s merry hipster jig 21
(cause hipsters don’t dance, they jig). Anyways, this alone doesn’t really prove my point. It just means that majority of people who like sushi , like Non-Japanese. When judging which is better, one must look at multiple aspects of it. Taste, appearance, art, and multiple other aspects. Creativity can also be taken into account along with the person who will judge. So with all these aspects, we’re bound to get a variety of results. Taste is on a person to person basis. Each has their own opinion and bias that would significantly affect the outcome. Some believe 24
kimchee works well with sushi while others cringe at the idea. Looking at it majority-wise, Korean sushi chefs seem to please more people because they’re more lenient with their experimentation and taste exploration. Americans, who tend to enjoy mayonnaise, cheese, and other tidbits and whatnot are satisfied with Korean sushi chefs because they offer it while Japanese sushi chefs completely reject the idea. It would taint and tarnish their traditional ways. This way of thinking has caused the Japanese sushi chef population to die out. This is also one of the reasons why oth-
ers are more successful, like Mr. Yoon. He has a variety of sushi rolls that are dedicated to catering the American taste. With this, Korean sushi chefs win points for creativity as well, because who would think of putting mayonnaise and cheese in sushi? Creative people. That’s who. Or mad scientists. Appearance differs Japanese and Korean sushi chefs. The Japanese make sushi with seaweed on the outside while Koreans make sushi with seaweed on the outside. The Korean’s way of doing things appeal more to Americans, yet again.
Otherwise, everything else maintains a similar appearance. Nigiri, sashimi, and everything else resemble each other relatively closely. There are the exceptions for Koreans who really prioritize art but they have to utilize non-traditional ingredients. Which requires ex perimentation. Which leads to fruit sushi and sushirittos and those definitely do not resemble Japanese sushi. Art has already been covered in the previous chapter so we’re basically done. There may be other aspects that I have forgotten to cover but I’ve literally run out of room. So conclusion time. Over-
all success rate goes to Koreans, who are currently dominating the sushi market. This is mainly the case because they cater to the needs of Americansand they experiment. That’s it. Step up your game Japan. It’s time to ditch your old and obsolete ways of doing things. Stop being so stubborn and let your mind run free. Let the creative and weird run wild. Only then can you compete with everyone else.
25
Conclusion The Sushi Club is great at what it does. Making sushi that’s not only authentic, but delicious. People who find this restaurant were sure to return on multiple occasions for the great sushi and the great people. Maybe even with friends, companions, or fellow travelers. The Sushi Club really shows that despite race or gender, authentic sushi perfection can be achieved. Minimalistic in appearance, packs a powerful, tasty punch. It was a great addition to the Sunnyvale area because it brings a bit of cultural diversity to it’s location. So not only does it provide great food, but it also spices up the surrounding area. Now, go out and have some sushi!
27
Works Cited Yoon, Jason. Personal interview. 3 Feb 2015. Tran, Alvin. Personal interview. 19 Mar 2015. Virbila, S. Irene. “A haven for the sushi purist” Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles] 19 Jul. 2006. Web. 16 Apr. 2015 Avey, Tori. “Discover the History of Sushi.” PBS 5 Sep. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2015 Zimmerman, Martin. “California rolls drive them to distraction.” Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles] 2 Dec. 2006: Web. 16 Apr. 2015 Williams, Clarence. “Masters of sushi see food as art.” Washington Times [Washington, DC] 8 Apr. 1999: 6. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
29
30
Drake Terryum Atlas CEO and Founder of Atlas Corporations Atlas is an animated and eccentrically weird carrot (like the edible garden kind) attending Mountain View High School and Freestyle Academy. He lives in *disclosed information* with his loving wife and 2 kids. Atlas loves long walks on the beach during sunsets, writing his dark psychotic inner thoughts in a diary, dropping poetic and lyrical genius, and spends most of his time after school being an full fledged otaku/ anime trash. Currently undecided about his future but knows that he would enjoy time travelling or fighting off dinosaurs. He is secretly a llama.
31