"We aspire to create food in an environment that creates a sense of belonging and fosters a community.” – Toasty Taiyaki
I'm excited to say today's #inspirations4aspirations interview is with Toasty Taiyaki (@toastytaiyaki).
There's something remarkable about Toasty. Maybe it's that they are Tallahassee's only gluten free Taiyaki food truck. Or the fact their chef/social media manager is a robot.
Regardless, people come to events exclusively for these Japanese fish-shaped cakes. Someone at a recent art market said a parent got excited about vegan food and learned more about pronouns after visiting Toasty.
Everyone I chatted with in line for Taiyaki has raved not just about the food but the owners themselves. Like how Soup, the hostess and admin, can quickly track down anyone no matter what to give their food. Or how C-BEAM, the taiyaki-bot and chef, promotes events even those unrelated to Toasty.
I started following them last year because of their vibe and humor. However, due to work conflicts it was six months after I followed them before I had my first Taiyaiki. But they are worth the hype.
For their portrait, I was inspired by Japanese manga artist Kazuki Takahashi and his manga series, Yu-Gi-Oh!, a personal favorite from when I was younger. I utilized fonts Squealer and Matrix II which are used in the english editions of the trading card game and manga. The red text behind "Toasty Taiyaki" reads 鯛焼き, the Japanese word for taiyaki.
C-Beam is holding their stainless steel teapot for pouring batter into the Taiyaki press, which is their No.1 most used tool. Their cat, Cow, who inspired their logo is driving and is also a Yu-gi-oh inspired card. Their trusty vehicle, a 1995 Daihatsu Atrai Turbo nicknamed DaiOh, has a hubcap shaped like a Beyblade as Toasty often hosts tournaments featuring the spinning tops.
Where are you from and/or where did you grow up?
C-BEAM: I’m from Tallahassee, I am currently 2.5 taiyaki years old.
Soup: I grew up in a small town an hour outside Chicago. I’m 28!
What are your preferred pronouns?
C-BEAM: He/They
Soup: She/Her
When were you introduced to taiyaki?
C-BEAM: Japanese culture and media was my first exposure to the concept of what taiyaki were, but Soup honestly was the one who came up with the idea of us making and selling it. We dreamed of opening a manga café and thought that taiyaki would be a good snack to eat for when your reading since it’s a handheld treat but not as messy as a sandwich could be.
Soup: I honestly don’t really remember where I learned about it! Probably in a tv show when I was young.
What are your favorite anime series?
C-BEAM: Yu Yu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi is a series that resonates with me and how I view life’s obstacles of growth and grief. I have a tattoo of Hiei on my chest because this series was something that felt close to my heart and more than just a shonen anime. I particularly enjoy the English dub/localization.
Soup: My favorite anime is Natsume Yuujincho, C-Beam and I had our first dance at our wedding to one of the ED songs from it. Though I don’t really watch as much anime these days, mostly live-action hero shows. Watch “Kamen Rider Gavv”.
1) Why do you create?
C-BEAM: Creating is my challenge to the status quo. Its my defiance to the typical.
Soup: In a general sense, I create because I am bad at expressing my feelings in words. Creating lets me express them in other ways.
2) When life gets you down, what inspires you to get back up?
C-BEAM: Spite.
Soup:
3) How is it that food can spark joy and create community?
C-BEAM: Its human nature to want to have the comfort of a safe space and a warm meal. To eat affordably and happily with like minded folxs or friends is something that is programmed in us all. All I do is facilitate that space.
Soup: Food is one of the greatest human joys, I think. One of our basest necessities. For many, it’s hard to get. I think good, accessible food helps make a place to feel safe. It can be a shared joy that brings people together. So much so that foods and flavors can become an integral part of a culture.
4) Do you think vegan food, cats and beyblades can change the world?
C-BEAM: I think all these things have 1 thing in common. Community. To me there is no world or society in existence without that, so I do think that they as core concepts can bring people together and change the world by a positive percent.
Soup: I think they can reach the people within my grasp, and that’s enough.
Bonus: If you could craft a manga/anime inspired origin story for how you formed Toasty Taiyaki, what would it be?
C-BEAM: Watch Kamen Rider Gavv or Ressha Sentai ToQger and then insert taiyaki as the gimmick belt/changer for the season.
Soup: Lmao I typed all mine before realizing C-Beam also suggested Gavv here. Anyway, it would probably be like Medabots where I find C-Beam junked and fix him to fight monsters (with taiyaki, I suppose).
Many thanks to my inspirations and aspirations, C-BEAM and Soup of Toasty Taiyaki. I’m John Lhotka, wishing you a nice day, and all that jazz.