- The phrase “yellow fever” describes a mosquito-spread virus, but is also a slang term for white people with an Asian fetish, often applied to white men who have a preference for Asian women.
- Kim for years has described the concept as a tongue-in-cheek attempt to be memorable, saying it represented “re-appropriation,” taking ownership of the term “yellow fever” and redefining it.
The Southern California-based operator of an Asian fast-casual build-your-own-bowl concept was rocketed onto the national stage with the opening of its third location in a Whole Foods Market last week.
Yellow Fever debuted at a Whole Foods 365 unit in Long Beach, Calif., sparking a national debate about the name in social media, and prompting a story Monday in The New York Times.
The concept, co-founded by Korean-American chef Kelly Kim, first launched in Torrance, Calif. about four years ago.
The phrase “yellow fever” describes a mosquito-spread virus, but is also a slang term for white people with an Asian fetish, often applied to white men who have a preference for Asian women.
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Kim for years has described the concept as a tongue-in-cheek attempt to be memorable, saying it represented “re-appropriation,” taking ownership of the term “yellow fever” and redefining it. On the wall at the Torrance location, a signature neon sign states, “Be yellow” and the menu celebrates flavors and ingredients from across Asia, Hawaii and California.
As news of the Whole Foods opening spread, however, critics attacked both the chain and Whole Foods on Twitter, and not only because of what many described as racist implications.
Date: Apr 30, 2018