User:10000BL/Japanology: Plastic Food Samples

BEGIN Japanology - Plastic Food Sample

Aired: 18 AUGUST 2011
Presenter: Peter Barakan
Produced by NHK World (JP)
Episode: BEGIN Japanology: Plastic Food Samples

Serie that covers topics about/with Japan.

Synopsis:

This episode of BEGIN Japanology covers the history, introduction and usage of plastic food models throughout Japan. The origin of plastic food models goes back to the 1920s. Department stores established in big cities around Japan. Their cafetaria became widely popular among the visitors and dining out was booming. The economy was well and more and more Japanese people could afford eating in outside. The cafeterias offered a wide range of dishes both Japanese and Western. As usual the customer would order at the table, but because so many people came everyday it slowed things down. As a result people were waiting to get in and once the food they ordered came customers complained it was different as they expected. They then changed or canceled the order. Teh task of the departments stores became to reduces the crowds and their complaints. As a result they started to experiment with displaying the food at the front of their cafeterias and asked customers to order in advance. At first samples of actual food was displayed. A downside of this was that food changes color over time and during the summer it would attract hurdles of flies.

In 1932 Takezi Iwasaki from Osaka came with the practical solution. His idea was to make food samples of wax. He discovered by chance that wax is a precise material for imprints. He experimented with the materials for the mold and choose eager in the end. Another revolutionary idea from him was to rent the wax models to the cafeterias and restaurants instead of selling them. For the amount of 10 times the prices of the dish he rented the models to the restaurant for a month. This saved the restaurant 20 dishes so it was profitable for them too.

In the 1970s a big change arose in the food model industry. Wax, which was sensitive to heat and broke easily, was replaced by plastic. This resulted in molds that were more durable and detailed. As of today more than 200 manufactures are involved in the making of food models for restaurants across Japan.

Plastic food models were born out of necessity. They display the menu and show what is been served in the particular restaurant. This makes it easy for a potential customer to decide because they can visualize the dishes. The plastic food models help customers to choose.

The models themselves are especially made for every restaurant that asks for it, because every restaurant serves a dish in another form, quantity and size. So a plastic representation of the real food is much more expensive (to create) than the real (original) version. The showcase of the reproductions is an important part of drawing in customers. The right arrangement, that is drink at the top, tilting the dishes e.g.) can provide you with 20-40% extra income. In current Japan plastic food models is everyday sight.

The primary role of plastic food models is to visualize a menu but recently they also toke other roles outside that of being a visual menu. In Japan they use plastic food models a a nutrition guide by attaching a RFID-tag with information about the product at the bottom of the dish. By combining for example all the food you eat a day, you can measure you intake (calories e.g.). Other implications are the rise of food key rings and magnets.

Quotes customers in doc:

"easier to visual a menu by plastic food samples than by reading a menu. Easier to choose"

"plastic food samples let me know what a restaurant is like inside. How it looks"

How are they made: NOTES

The workshop of ceramics looks like a real kitchen. They measure carefully the dimensions (thickness, length e.g.) of each item the have reproducing.
epoxy vs vinylester
heat in oven?
Rice also casted in mold
lijm adhesie erbij to make it fresh look. Steamed
painting most important, brushes and air brushes.
glossy finish - adhesive
drinks - gold geletin, white gelatin (beer)
hardened eager - old technic. with wax.