Intern Update: Introducing Edward Pagliarulo
Intern Edward Pagliarulo with artifacts for the upcoming American Enterprise exhibit.
I am a Junior at Georgetown University studying History and Japanese. At the National Museum of American History, I research prominent Asian Pacific American business leaders for inclusion in the upcoming American Enterprise exhibit. American Enterprise will explore the interplay between the producer and the consumer as the American marketplace developed. My focus so far has been on the story of Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation (AFC) and their expansion of the sushi market in the United States. Founded in California in 1986, AFC is now the largest sushi bar chain in the nation and is a great example of the hybridization of a foreign product into American culture.
Additionally, I am doing research on the growth of KFC in China and McDonald’s in Japan as part of the process of globalization and international exchange. Outside of research, I have helped with the installation of the new showcase Sweet & Sour which gives a snapshot of the growth of Chinese restaurants in America. Working with the Smithsonian has been very rewarding and a complement to my academic studies. Although I am originally from Boston, I hope to find a job in D.C. this summer and after graduation.
Dear Edward Pagliarulo,
I looked you up because a colleague of mine at Bridgewater State University shared the program with me for the upcoming conference on Chinese shops. I am interested in your presentation on “Mickey D’s and KFC as Chinese Food,” because I am currently writing an article, “Globalizing American Food, for a reference book and am looking at how American foods and food chains are modified overseas, especially in East Asia. Looking at this website, however, I also see that you are working on AFC and its role in introducing sushi into the U.S. I am also doing research on and writing about sushi, including its introduction and hybridization in the U.S. I would appreciate any material you might have on this or any pieces you have written so far.
Best,
Walter Carroll
Professor of Sociology and Core Faculty, Asian Studies
BSU
Hello,
This is Amy, from AFC company-
I read you did an investigation from Smithsonian were you included AFC. I’m not completely sure if you are the right person to communicate with, but I have been looking for this for a long time. As you know you did a video or slideshow of this, and you gave us a copy. However we cannot find it, and we would like to have this video in order to have it on our records.
Please, let me know if this is possible or not.