Pitch: Food is defined as any nutrient-dense item consumed or absorbed by humans, animals, or plants in order to sustain life and growth. It’s what makes us strong and keeps us healthy. When many Americans are hungry and want a healthy dinner as opposed to fast-food, they resort to Asian cuisine, specifically Chinese food. According to Oxforde, food from China began to draw a rapidly rising non-Chinese clientele of varied ethnic backgrounds in key cities across the country around the end of the nineteenth century, and by 1980, Chinese food had become the most popular ethnic cuisine in the United States. Chinese food is what most Americans look for when it comes to authentic and delectable, home-like meals. For this reason, there are various Chinese buffets located across key neighborhoods in New York City. The China Buffet King, located in Valley Stream, is a cornerstone in the Valley Stream community and has been recognized for its outstanding Chinese cuisine, excellent service, and friendly staff. Like most other Chinese buffets, China Buffet King is known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on solely using high-quality fresh ingredients.
This visual poem will capture different types of Chinese food served at the China King Buffet. The hue of the food is something I want to pay more attention to. I also want to display food that many people are familiar with as well as food that no one has ever had before. The Valley Stream neighborhood will be introduced first in the visual poem. I’ll film several signs and/or streets that point to Valley Stream as the location. Then I’ll go to the buffet and film the front of the establishment, as well as the parking lot and the name of the Chinese buffet. After I’ve entered, the other images will show the restaurant’s booths and employees. If possible, I want to show some people consuming the food served. I also want to film customers entering since they are drawn to Chinese cuisine. Then the visual poem will shift and capture the cultural artifacts and signs that have been put in place to highlight the Chinese culture. To conclude, I want to either end the same way I started or I want to end with the door closing. This will be symbolic, in a way, since it serves the highlight the ending of a home-like meal/ buffet.
Location: Valley Stream, NY