全食超市附設餐館名 被批對亞裔有「性暗示」

加州長堤新開的全食365超市 (Whole Foods 365)裡面附設餐館,結果引起反彈,因為這家亞洲餐館名為「黃熱小館」 (Eatery Yellow Fever)。

Yellow fever除了是「黃熱病」病名,黃熱病也常被被用於描述白人男性迷戀亞裔女子和文化;有人認為這個名字對亞裔有性暗示,因此批評全食對其種族意味麻木不仁。

社群媒體一片譁然,亞裔和非亞裔紛紛指責全食。推特出現「我猜想全食的對亞裔的種族主義戀癖終於出櫃」,以及「壞產品點子」。

Debating whether #YellowFeverEats is an appropriate name for an Asian rest.? The owner is a Korean-American woman: “it’s re-appropriating a term — taking ownership of something and defining it in our own way” https://t.co/SJX4RifrXj pic.twitter.com/svKuViY7JI

— MayraCuevas (@MayraECuevas) April 28, 2018

全食的基本顧客群以富裕白人為主,因此有網友批評:「你們公司裡沒有人告訴你們,這種種族主義名稱是個多毒的點子嗎?」

黃熱小館號稱「盛裝你的靈魂的亞洲碗」,在加州威尼斯和托倫斯各有一家店面,最近宣布不再收現金,並引起媒體報導。

一些長堤居民表示他們瞭解問題的兩面。一名男子說:「我碰到的人可能都會認為這個名字很有趣,不覺得有什麼問題,不過我知道有些人可能比較敏感,覺得不以為然。」

#YellowFever — offensive or clever restaurant name? Some people say a new restaurant inside a @365byWholeFoods (Long Beach, CA) is offensive. Others, like owner Kelly Kim, say it’s a way to pay tribute to all things Asian. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/Z366ZcF6H1

— Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) April 28, 2018

生在南韓,從小在休士頓生長的餐館老闆兼主廚金凱莉(Kelly kim)說,她開店四年半從未碰到任何反彈或負面評論,而且她的食物自會說明一切,批評者不妨一試。

她承認當初餐館命名是有點開玩笑,並把社群媒體的騷動斥為「傻氣」。

她說,全食很清楚餐館名稱可能引起爭議,不過新店生意還是比兩家老店多出一倍。這可能反映一般民眾並不在意餐館的名稱。

From one small local business owner to another, I love seeing other entrepreneurs grow! When I first met founder, Gaurav from @bendgoods to see his chair samples, it was in his kitchen. Now they’re getting a showroom right in LA…coming soon, y’all. We have Bend chairs at both of our stores, Torrance and Venice, and soon to open in Long Beach. Super stylin’ and almost indestructible, we love them. Both of our companies born and raised in Los Angeles, here’s to the ones who dream

A post shared by Chef Kelly @YellowFeverEats (@chefkellykim) on Apr 5, 2018 at 10:39pm PDT

黃熱小館餐點基本上以飯、米粉或蔬菜為底,根據顧客喜好加上各種配料,有「首爾」、「上海」、「曼谷」、「東京」、「西貢」、「加州」等各種選擇。

I love the headline of “Meet the asian woman behind… Yellow Fever” Click on profile link to read the full interview by Heather from @nextshark #yellowfever #yellowfevereats #nextshark #interview #asian #entrepreneur #beyellow

A post shared by Chef Kelly @YellowFeverEats (@chefkellykim) on Nov 8, 2017 at 9:48pm PST