It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words and this article about the December Nisei Lunch will be told utilizing photos taken by Janice Kunitsugu. I was on a short vacation and unable to attend the lunch in person, however, through Janice’s camera lens I was there enjoying the food and the good vibes of the Nisei Lunch. 

The December Nisei Lunch has always been one of the most popular and well attended lunches of the year.  Perhaps this is because of the time of the year or perhaps because of Terry Takeuchi’s Prime Rib (sometimes it is another cut of meat because of cost factors—but always delicious).

I wanted to make a comment or two regarding the Nisei Lunch program.  Since its beginning in 2015, we have weathered the ups and downs associated with the COVID era without missing a beat.  When COVID prohibited personal interaction, we continued the program by instituting a lunch delivery program which is still in effect today.  We’ve combined a delivery network along with an in-person dining option.  

This brings me to another point—the December Nisei Lunch in-person dining levels are back to pre-pandemic levels, which is good news, however the growth of the in-person diners also means that we reach our capacity to serve our guests much quicker.  I had to turn down reservation requests for the first time since the in-person dining option returned 3 years ago (or thereabouts). 

I felt very bad about having to do this, however we needed to limit the room capacity to provide a comfortable atmosphere for both our guests and our volunteer servers.  Having too many guests would be counterproductive to creating an atmosphere in which folks could casually chat and visit with one another.  We also needed to make sure our volunteer servers would be able to bus tables and serve the meals in a safe setting.

As a suggestion regarding future Nisei Lunch reservations, I would recommend that you respond to our Nisei Lunch reminder emails as quickly as possible.  I usually send out these email reminders a couple of weeks before the lunch and again one week before the lunch.  Our RSVP list is compiled on a “first come-first served” basis, and I would hate for any of you to miss out on a delicious meal — and more importantly, miss the opportunity to visit and “catch up” with old friends.

From the entire Nisei Lunch volunteer group, we wish you a wonderful Holiday Season celebration with family and friends.