Iron Chef
Hey Shawn…I think it would be best if you were the main coordinator of the iron chef event, like last year. [Vince]
Improvements that I would like to see this year [are]
1)Sustaining [the] energy that we achieved during the intro of iron chef, but which inevitably died as the cooking and tasting dragged on and on.
2)To include various other cultural groups as side shows while the cooking and tasting is going on. For example, there would be 45 minutes of cooking, and in between there would be 3 ten-minute mini cultural shows provided by CUSA, KSO and a Japanese performance. One of our goals should be to get some kind of Japanese cultural mini show in the end, as a forerunner to setting up a real J-Club Cultural Show. We need to make contacts with the J-table listhost and other Japanese contacts to find if anyone is willing to perform a dance or a musical performance. then, when the judging, we can have Samahan, KSO, and Loose Roots show off 5-minute portions of their upcoming Cultural Shows as advertisements for their shows (Loose Roots performs as part of KSO's show), while the judges are sampling food. this way, we should be able to make iron chef more entertaining as well as get other club's involvement in our cultural show (a great networking opportunity ^_^) [Vince]
I think that having the cultural shows in between the slower parts of iron chef would be a great idea. It would allow J-club to branch out to fellow international organizations, it would give them a large crowd to advertise to, it would raise campus awareness of the variety of clubs, and it would keep iron chef energized and fresh. We probably want to speak with leaders of those organizations pretty soon after the school year begins so they have time to organize as well. If we tell them too early, I fear they will put it off and forget, but we can’t tell them too late. End of October, perhaps? Maybe suggesting it a bit earlier but acting on it then? [Cassie]
For contacting cultural organizations about having minishows in J-Club, it perhaps would be good to notify them now [7/16/03], and then by October notify them again about how certain they are about doing a mini show for us. It shouldn't be a big commitment for them, since they have cultural shows already. We definitely need to secure their verbage for performing for us. As for the Japanese cultural part, we need to look around for any group who would like to perform for us. [Vince]
I think a cultural show is a good idea. Iron Chef gets boring, and there's a strong likelihood that half-time entertainment (perhaps while we get the dishes ready for tasting) would be really beneficial and liven up the show itself. However, there is a danger here. Iron Chef is already "Japanese." I worry that if you have a cultural show that aspires to present "real Japanese culture," it will just seem like further mockery of Japanese culture by association; I don't want to see "Japan on Parade." What I'm trying to say is that we have to be really careful. We have a message that goes something like this--Perhaps Japan isn't really a mirror of what you get after regurgitating what we see in pop culture. Simple as it seems, not everyone will understand that implicitly. Some people will watch what a cultural show we construct and then go "My, wasn't that a quaint exhibit?" You would have to openly declare this message to the audience before you could proceed. See how quickly this is escalating? The artistic effort required to keep this from being trite is pretty significant. If we want to do a cultural show (even a mini-one), there are a few ways I think we could possibly do it. One, nothing reminds people of how contrived their notions are like satire. We could do a cultural show that parodies all these contrivances that people have about Japan and end up with a result that is so ludicrous people will realize that their stereo-types are really just myths. I've mentioned this to Satomi and Vincent before. Alternatively, we could assemble a bunch of really qualified people to do short performances that fairly showcase some aspects of Japan. What I worry about is that the second one seems very zoo-like. See above: "Japan on Parade." Oh, and I think we should avoid anything that even resembles things like the CUSA-show. For lots of reasons. By now, my bias should be apparent. I do love a good parody.
On Iron Chef, I'll tell you now that I have a number [of] possible ingredients in mind. None of them are meat. I'm a stickler for security, especially on this issue, so I won't say them over the main listhost. I don't really know how to set up a private one. BTW, sorry I never responded to that Vince. Hehe. Why not meat? Because one of our judges last year was Muslim, and we had no idea until he got there. [There are] also vegetarians, vegans, and a whole score of other kinds of people who don't eat meat for various reasons, and I really don't want to play that game. Storage for the quantity of meat that we would need would be very difficult. Also, cooking times and hygiene become annoyances we don't need to be worrying about. Also, it takes almost no culinary talent at all to make meat taste good and to incorporate it as the main ingredient of a meal. Only one chef (god, I love Mabel) last year really made a dessert in which the addition of the main ingredient was surprising and/or difficult. Anyways, the actual selection of the ingredient is like part Y of our overall plan. We don't have to worry about it until we have chefs or begin advertising. More on Iron Chef: I am really reluctant to set in concrete a number of things related to Iron Chef on my own. It may have become my baby, but it has many parents...so to speak. I don't feel comfortable saying that Iron will be on such-and-such a date, etc. After all, and this is a key question, isn't Iron Chef part of IFF? What I'm concerned about right now is money from sponsors and conception. Questions like how we're branching out and cultural shows, how they should be or if they should even be part of the show. Tell me all those thoughts of yours for improvement, and I will add them to my master IC:C2K4 list. [Shawn]
My perspective is this: the mini-cultural show is good. I did not think the iron chef last year was anything about Japan. Maybe the name. But I didn't think we incorporated any of Japanese culture in that show. We had fun, because working and creating as a group is very fruitful, but it could have been done by any cultural club. So, I think it's a good idea to add some Japanese essence in the iff by doing some cultural show. The two ideas that Shawn mentioned are interesting possibilities and I believe that we can discuss about them. We should really think how iron chef will contribute to the community and attract those who are interested in Japanese culture. So...I want to say, let's work toward incorporating cultural shows in the Iron Chef. [Satomi]
Should incorporate a lot of new ideas!! And like that mini-cultural show idea is good!! But I believe Iron Chef is still a PART OF IFF, and if these cultural RSOs are taking part in IFF also, I wonder how that will work...I am sure there would be a way for things to work out, but...Then there is the problem about space...If Iron Chef is a part of IFF, and IFF takes place in Ida, then Iron Chef will be...most likely...in Cloister Club again, and how is the layout gonna work? If we have the same sort of equipment like last year, where is the show gonna take place? And when is this little mini cultural show gonna take place? I mean, the whole point of Iron Chef is to show [people] how the chefs are cooking, and doing it during the tasting is very rude to the judges. Or did I miss something?...But the idea of cultural show, if I did already mention it, is really good. It's just that...I am not sure how you guys can really incorporate this into Iron Chef. But if you already have ideas, then that's good :) Like I said, I would like to see lots of changes, so that the event will always be fresh? Not become mundane. [Sayaka]
I have two suggestions for the "culture show" for Iron Chef.
1)A presentation/slideshow on the history of Iron Chef, from itsroots in Japan to the spin-off that the food channel did. There are some good websites from which we can draw context; images are another matter. Perhaps we can get Iron Chef videos or books somewhere.
2)A presentation/slideshow on the role of this year's *secretingredient* in Japanese culinary tradition, and its history in general (if it does play a large enough role). There are probably some good books at the Reg or wherever on Japanese cuisine, and I'm sure we can dig up some resources from the internet. [Mike]
I really hope that we can incorporate some real Japanese aspect/culture into this show, rather than a focus of Iron Chef. I kind of want to pull away from the "Iron Chef" idea as being for the sake of an Iron Chef show, and to really achieve some sort of cultural show in the long run (as in, when I come back as a retired sempai to J-Club a few years from now, I hope to see a large strong membership doing cultural shows ^_^). While we should use some of the Iron Chef aspects to have some fun, hopefully we can incorporate some real Japanese aspects to the show, as well as bring in other RSOs. [Vince]
I know that Iron Chef, as event, is kinda cheesy and not REALLY a reflection of Japanese history and all of its cultural masterpieces, but people go just for a laugh and good food, they aren’t expecting a huge cultural experience. If we could even make a show about the history of Iron Chef and make it funny/satirical/comedic, that would go well with the Iron Chef theme, hold attention, and make sure people learned about the event: that it wasn’t an accurate representation of Japanese life. I mean the focus of the Iron Chef event IS Iron Chef. We can do a separate Culture Show that focuses on culture. [Cassie]
Faculty Advisor
I'm taking Japanese Civ. right now, and let me tell you that the professor knows Japanese culture from the bottom of his heart. He speaks Japanese very fluently (he was joking in japanese with Lori sensei today), and above all he knows more japanese culture/history than me. He is a very enthusiastic teacher, and is fun to be with. So, since all of you were wondering how to make J-club more "Japanese club" where both Japanese and non-japanese students are attracted, I asked professor Ketelaar if he can think of any way to improve J-club's activities, as well as
any possible faculty who could become J-club's (faculty) advisor. First of all, he said that he's glad that J-club is still around, but most importantly, he kindly offered to be "the" faculty advisor of J-Club. He also mentioned that 3 more faculties of Japanese studies (one of them is supposed to be Japanese, though I'm not sure) are joining the East Asian Language and Civilization department next fall, so Prof. Ketelaar thinks the EALC would have a lot to offer to J-Club. [Toshio]
Here's the update for the meeting that Toshio and I had with Prof. Ketelaar last Monday.We asked what will be a good way to get more students involved. His suggestions were the followings:
1)Target those 40-50 undergraduate students who are taking Japanese Language class. (He said taking a Japanese language class is already a sign of commitment that they have made to learn about Japan. Many of them are interested and planning to go to Japan as JETs and they must be interested in J-club.)
2)Have lots of PARTIES! Serve Japanese food and give students opportunities to talk in Japanese.
3)Show movies(he said that we can use the East Asian Dept.Lounge to show movies, have study breaks/parties)
4)EA language department had 10-12 Japanese speakers last year. We can invite other speakers and he'll be willing to invite them on behalf of us if that is easier. (Japan committee has money if we are up for a big event)
5)Ask people what they want to do in the first meeting.
6)Go to 1 and 2nd year Japanese classes in the beginning of the year and let them know that J-club is having a party. (Talk to Noto sensei and ask him advice and ask him to come to his classes)
7)Students who go to Japan as JETs might have interesting stories to tell... [Satomi]
Japanese-ness[a goal, a philosophy, or both?]
I would…like to know what opinions everyone has about keeping the Japanese club as a "Japanese" club. I understand that, in the past, we have been focusing only American perspective of Japan (like iron chef and sushi), rather than a Japanese perspective of Japan, which would turn off those who feel deeply about Japan and Japanese culture. How can we make changes to make the club more comfortable for Japanese and those familiar with Japanese life? However, at the same time, how would Americans feel about this change of perspective, of any fear of losing interest or any excitement on learning something knew? Hopefully we can make Japanese club a club that is truly Japanese and, at the same time, is fun for the general community and will allow them to get interested in the deeper parts of Japanese culture (which is why I believe there should be a Japanese cultural mini-show in iron chef, since a large crowd will already be watching). [Vince]
I would love to see more Japanese students in J-club and learn more about Japanese culture in the process. So few of us really know what Japanese culture is to someone who grew up there: my experiences are with the culture fed to Americans, what we learn and perceive, not what is really there. I think the most difficult aspect of this will be a smooth merger of the two cultures. I recall at the very beginning of last year going out to dinner with HKSA and, while people were kind and welcoming in general, I definitely felt like I did not belong and, though welcomed to this open event, was not invited to "club" activities. Most people spoke Cantonese and expected one of my friends to translate for me. Most did not understand my vegetarian habits and did not even attempt to help me with ordering appropriate food. I felt like the outsider, people smiled and were kind, but not truly welcoming. I think that expanding the club would be great for both cultures, but everyone on the board needs to make sure that a divide doesn’t rise between Americans wanting to learn more and Japanese looking for a group mirroring Japan and the lifestyle there. I know that I socialized with native English speakers whom I was comfortable with at the concluding study break, and that I often do, rather than reaching out to the Japanese students. I think it’s a habit that, as the board, we all especially need to strive to overcome: speak with someone whom you have never met, whose culture is completely different, and welcome them honestly to every activity. [Cassie]
Cassie, I think that your illustration of HKSA is a great example of what we don't want J-Club to become. In our case, I think the roles are somewhat switched, but the feeling is the same. Usually ethnic clubs have members that are not of that's club's ethnicity who are interested in learning about the culture, but who are inevitably left out since people of that ethnicity take the club to be a place where that ethnicity's culture can be assumed to be understood by everyone. In this case, HKSAassumed either that you know HongKong culture already or that you can't fit into it. In our case, on the other hand, I believe that we have taken a perspective of Japanese culture that is outside what native Japanese would imagine the culture to really be like. For someone who understands Japanese culture well, they would look at our perspective and say "that's not right" and would not feel comfortable in a shallow environment. It’s like a Cantonese who joins HKSA but would find that HKSAis catered solely to Americanperspectives. In the end, that feeling of not belonging in the club is the same, but I think there would be a stronger conviction of being left out for one who belongs and truly understands that ethnicity compared to one who does not know much. [Vince]
Whenever we talk about J-Club and what its purpose is, we risk creating a conflict of interests. Even as board members, we all want J-Club to fill a certain role for ourselves. For example, maybe there's the view which Vincent brought up: a Japanese person looking for other Japanese people to conglomerate with. That's what HKSA and the vast majority of other cultural clubs are. They are glorified cliques that have the sole purpose of letting one particular race (or nationality) of students hang out with more of their own ilk so that they can feel comfortable with those around them. On the other hand, there's the Japanphile who wants to sit down with a group of other shallow, would-be paradise-seekers and talk about how blessed are those who ingest Anime and Pocky. Ideally, we want neither of these caricatures, and that makes things difficult for us; our dream is /not/ a simple one. We want to do something that is unique and has a useful impact. That's my opinion anyway. Don't ask me exactly how we do that. [Shawn]