If you’ve been following our websites for the past couple of years, then you’ve likely noticed James Boo’s 1 Minute Meal video posts. They’re well-edited (very) short films featuring alluring food visuals like unctuous broth at Hide-chan Ramen and golden, steaming bialys from Kossar’s. His thoughtful and well-executed work never fails at making me melt in my desk chair.
More than the visuals though, what I appreciate most about James’s storytelling is its inclusiveness; instead of blowing out the next big-name restaurant opening or showcasing yet another chef blessed with a PR team, James shines a light on smaller, deserving businesses who might not grab many headlines.
The 1 Minute Meal series is a labor of love for James and I was sad to see him go on hiatus after the first few episodes (you can watch them all on the website). I was equally thrilled though when I recently received an email announcing that his second season is a go and kicks off today with a profile of a New York food beacon Katz’s Delicatessen.
Ok yes, Katz’s isn’t the best example of business that hasn’t received a lot of media attention, but the video is an example of James’s storytelling style: he strives to highlight the humanity and dignity of a chosen food business. In his own words, “My goal is to change every viewer’s perception of what a New York face looks like. That’s why every episode is centered around a human being, and that’s why the [website] home page is a gallery for viewers to explore. The New York of my lunch break is way more diverse and exciting than the New York of celebrity chefs and ‘best of’ lists.”
He accomplishes this in this most recent video by giving the glimpse of the culture behind the counter at Katz’s (meat cutting isn’t for everyone, apparently). Take a minute to watch for yourself and stay tuned as we share more 1 Minute Meals over the next few weeks.