The predecessors of food sample

Food samples were first created from the end of the Taisho period（20c） to the early Showa period (20c) and were called ryori mokei (food models) at the time. It is believed that these food models became widely recognized after they were displayed at a temporary store of the Nihonbashi central branch of Shirokiya, a department store that opened on November 1, 1923. To improve efficiency, an ordering method was introduced in which samples of the dishes were put out and diners would purchase the corresponding meal ticket. As a result, diners’ turnover improved, and sales increased by four times. Since then, meal tickets and food models have been used widely at restaurants and eateries in Japan.

Changes in expression

Food models were poorer replicas of the original than the food samples of the modern day. Around this time, a certain youth happened to see some food models. This young man had enjoyed working and playing with wax as a child, so after repeated mold-making and testing with materials such as wax and kanten (Japanese gelatin), he successfully produced elaborate food models that recreated even the finest creases. This method later became the mainstream, greatly elevating the quality of food samples. While the basic material used had been wax, it was a fragile material that melted under lighting heat. For this reason, sturdy plastic resin has been used in recent years, and the breadth of expression has expanded further.

Processes

Basic food sample manufacturing is divided into four processes: mold-making, casting, coloring, and presentation. Most of these are manual processes, deriving from the fact that food samples are mainly made-to-order. For example, even for the same dish of curry and rice, the volume of rice and curry, colors, and ingredients vary from store to store. To reproduce the individual characteristics of each menu accurately, it is impossible to apply the same molds and materials to different restaurants, and difficult to mass produce the food samples. Hence, most of the produces are carried out manually.

Display

Western food culture gained popularity in Japan after the war, and food samples became more than mere samples aimed at enhancing ordering efficiency. They also took on the role of promoting products to consumers. Among kissaten (coffee shops) where sample display rates were particularly high, many stores used food samples to enhance the visual appeal of bright and trendy Western dishes of foreign origin. Displaying food samples gradually became a common trend, and various creative efforts were employed in its styling.

Surprising food sample creations

In recent years, food samples have also entered the realm of art and sundry goods. There is a myriad range of expressions, including samples that represent a dynamic moment in the cooking process, and samples that create a situation that would not be possible in real life. Food samples that look identical to the real thing are used to create surreal scenes like photo collages. They have moved beyond the framework of menu promotion that has continued since the Taisho period (20c), maybe even taking a step forward as a new form of Japanese artistic expression.