Meeting the mastermind behind our Humpty Dumpty Tamagoyaki Sandwich— Powered by Rice
If it wasn't for the uprise of possible hate crime, I probably wouldn't have had the drive to bring myself to my desktop for writing. Yes, I haven't been able to write an editorial piece since last October. The writer's block is no joke when I am under tremendous stress; it's partly due to my side gigs, but mostly I felt overwhelmed by the workload I needed to handle alone and the politics brought by malicious people.
I want to take some time to write about more kick-ass Asian stories around me that remind me of the good in humanity. Asians are cool. We are so cool and we make god damn delicious food.
It was a great honor to meet Chef Yusuke on a Monday. I didn't want to miss our appointment so I forced myself out of my bed after a long day of vomiting out my stomach acid to meet him at Shun during off-hours. We walked in from the side door to meet this mysterious chef and there he was coming out to greet us.
Chef Yusuke is such a skinny person with a soft voice. There is something about him that makes you want to hear him talk nonstop. You wanted to absorb all the wisdom from him as if you came intentionally to visit a wise guru for guidance.
He hit you with brutal honesty. None of the bs. I think there is something that resonances with people who like rock music. We are rebellious by nature and cynical by default; however, deep down we are caring and sensitive beings that hate this world so much. The minute Yusuke mentioned his favorite J-rock band, I saw that in him.
"Keep on doing what you are doing now. Don't quit. The more successful you are, the more haters you will be getting. People will sabotage you on the way. It's whatever. Smile at them. Never burn bridges."
He went on to make us the tamagoyaki sandwich we wanted for our Alice in Wonderland Tea Party Box, sat us down, and began sharing his many stories with us. We were enchanted by his life stories and how incredibly humble he is.
"I am just a man. I like to make people smile. I cook food to feed people. Does that make me a god? No. I'm just a cooking man. I hate somebody who has that kind of authority."
He went on sharing his love for Japanese food and how he wanted to proudly represent his culture. The clock was hitting 8 PM and then he apologized for keeping us.
"I just want to make sure that you won't get stuck in the traffic." I looked at the Japanese flag badge on his sleeve again and began to appreciate how caring some Japanese people are for others. This is a rare quality in people. Could I ever become someone so wise and likable? I felt like I knew nothing about adulting.
To stay true, be nice to friends but live with principles, remember everyone who helped you on the way and those who wronged you, be proud but not arrogant, caring but not nosy, make others comfortable, and tending to their needs without being pretentious.
There is so much to learn. I feel like a child. I don't know anything. My words are insufficient to express my gratitude for Yusuke's time. I hope we can do well for the next event and present him the best possible way we can. If not, I wouldn't know how to step in Shun again.