Tatler Weekend Hong Kong: ‘Butter’ author Asako Yuzuki on feminism, fatphobia and the rise of women-centric Japanese novels

Running a restaurant may seem straightforward—create a great concept, serve good food, and customers will come. But managing hundreds of restaurants, each with unique challenges and expectations? That’s a different kind of puzzle—one that requires innovation, teamwork, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Read more: 8 Major Restaurant Groups in the Philippines You Need to Know

Few people have mastered this balance, and one of them is Jean Paul Manuud, president of The Bistro Group, which runs one of the largest collections of F&B brands in the Philippines. It’s company that has brought in TGI Fridays, Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, Hard Rock Café and Denny’s to the Philippines, alongside homegrown concepts like Las Flores, The Test Kitchen 9780, Helm and many more. With over 200 restaurant branches under his leadership, Manuud is crucial to this thriving empire.

But what truly sets him apart isn’t just the scale of his success—it’s his people-first approach, adaptability, and emphasis on consistency, all of which have become the cornerstones of his leadership.

Living in a world where body image and women’s appearances are constantly scrutinised, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the pressure to conform to societal standards. That’s something I have experienced throughout my life—as a girl, a woman, an athlete and as a public figure.

My battle with anorexia nervosa began during a chaotic time in my life. My parents’ divorce left me feeling powerless and isolated. I dealt with depression, was bullied at school for being more muscular and I wanted to alleviate my mum’s financial burden by eating less. Like many teenagers, I sought control over the only thing I could impact: my body. I began to restrict my food intake, purge and exercise excessively—to the point where I looked like a “bag of bones”, my mum said, and I was forced to see specialists to start my recovery process.

As part of it, I was required to see a nutritionist. One day, he asked me, “What do you want to be when you’re older?” I replied that I wanted to be an athlete. He told me, “You won’t be an athlete unless you eat”. As simple as it may sound, this statement changed my life. Finding a purpose greater than myself—my love for sport—helped guide me towards recovery.

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For years, male authors like Haruki Murakami and Keigo Higashino have enjoyed the international limelight when it comes to modern Japanese literature. But in 2024, Asako Yuzuki—and her best-selling novel Butter—changed this status quo. 

The Tokyo-born author is not new to the literature scene. She won the All Yomimono Award for New Writers for Forget Me, Not Blue in 2008, the Yamamoto Shūgorō Award for Nile Perch No Joshikai in 2015, and has been nominated for the Naoko Prize several times. Her novels have also been adapted for television, radio and films. 

One might wonder why it took Yuzuki so long to achieve international fame, considering she has 23 novels under her belt and is celebrated as one of Japan’s most prolific writers. The answer likely lies in the sexist systems she has had to navigate throughout her career. She sits down to discuss this and more with Tatler ahead of her visit to Hong Kong for the Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF) 2025, which takes place from March 1 to 8. 

You might also like: From Nobel Prize to awards and movie adaptations: How female authors of Asian descent are pushing the boundaries of mainstream literature in 2024

The internet always keeps receipts. This culture of accountability is especially magnified in celebrities whose every on-camera whisper is lip-read, reported and analysed. A celebrity mistake, whether an offensive tweet a decade ago, a leaked video of a personal moment or past problematic behaviour can spread faster than ever. And with social media acting as judge and jury, the public demands a quick and seemingly sincere show of regret.

However, not all celebrity apologies are created equal. Some are paradoxical (Kanye West), others feel disingenuous (Mario Batali), others are confusing (Tati Westbrook) and a few seem to make things worse (Roseanne Barr).

Most recently, Emilia Pérez actress Karla Sofía Gascón became the latest star to experience the brutal cycle of backlash and apology. She expressed regret after someone unearthed past racist and Islamophobic posts. However, her response was met with scepticism, leading Netflix to distance itself from her and even the film’s director expressing disappointment. Netflix also dropped Gascón from its highly energetic Oscar campaign.

With the public demanding more culpability from celebrities—unwarranted or not—how can stars navigate this minefield successfully? Who has effectively rebounded from public outrage and who has seen their career permanently tainted? More importantly, when should they make amends and when is it better to stay silent? Let's dissect the art of the celebrity apology.

Also read: What to know about ‘Emilia Pérez’, this season’s Oscar favourite