Panel cites range of reasons to court Asian-American consumers, employees

Nation's Restaurant News,  August 20, 2007  by Milford Prewitt

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Asian-American baby boomers and their offspring are turning out to be a marketer's dream.

Not known for their political or social activism despite a long history of ostracism and exploitation, Asian-Americans are using economics and education to obliterate obstacles that have stymied the advancements of other minority groups.

A panel of experts at the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance's annual conference here assessed the growing influence of Asian-Americans in the restaurant industry. Researchers pointed out the kind of demographics that restaurant companies are gauging to approach Asian-Americans as consumers, potential franchisees, managers and executives.

* Asian-Americans make up one of the most highly educated ethnic groups--if not the highest-educated group--in the United States.

* Asian-Americans enjoy some of the highest household- and personal-income levels in the nation.

* Asian-Americans are heavy consumers of luxury brands, particularly those that promote cultural and social trendiness.

* Asian-Americans are the fastest-growing minority population groups in New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

Guy Kawasaki, the former "chief evangelist" of Apple Computer Inc. and a self-described "billionaire-on-paper" venture capitalist, moderated the panel, which included several prominent Asian restaurant executives or chef-entrepreneurs. The speakers focused on how the foodservice industry can garner more discretionary spending by Asian-Americans.

Among the panelists was Ted Fang, publisher of Asian Week, the largest English-language newspaper devoted to international and domestic current events of interest to Asians. Fang noted that a common tie among many Asians is their proficiency in English.

"I think the Asian model is far different from the Hispanic model as it relates to mainstreaming in the U.S.," he said. "What I mean is that whether one is Vietnamese or Chinese or Indonesian, Thai or Indian, they all speak English as a common denominator. That's a different model from the Hispanic experience."

Chinese-American chef, television personality and cookbook author Martin Yan, of "Yan Can Cook" fame, agreed with Fang, pointing out that one unfortunate consequence of Asian restaurateurs' mastery of English is that it gives some the leeway to produce mediocre food.

"It's getting very hard to find authentic Chinese food," he said. "When I first came here as an immigrant, I knew no English, but remembered my mother's cooking practices. But today, new immigrants or people not committed to the industry see restaurants as a short-term career move to make money, and they speak pretty good English. So it is creating all of this consumer uncertainty about where to eat. What is authentic?"

But when moderator Kawasaki and Chinese-American panelist Richard Lee, vice president of marketing for PepsiCo International, asked Yan why Chinese restaurants often are so "shabby" and how the dining public can be assured of finding authenticity in their cuisine, Yan defended the many Asian restaurateurs who typically toil in obscurity.

"It's often a case of money," he said. "I think most Chinese-American restaurant owners would rather serve great food, with good ingredients, as opposed to eating in a highly decorated room. Maybe, if you wanted so-so food in a pretty room, you should go to P.F. Chang's"

Before the panel's presentation. Kawasaki gave an amusing keynote address on what he as a venture capitalist looks for when investing in start-up ventures.

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