On World Food Day, chef Kiran Chauhan shares how different eating practices originated at various locations and continue to shape one’s cultural identity
Cuisines act as an expression of cultural identity as they are passed on to other generations as tradition. With every geographical shift, we come across new people and with them, their countries’ or native places’ food. In fact, cooking their traditional cuisine at a different place becomes a way for them to keep their culture alive as they migrate to newer locations. Every platter has different methods of preparation and flavour preferences, which can be an intimation of the specific region or from the people who make it. This knowledge can be used by the chef to tap into the subconscious associations that guests have about their own cultures, such as comfort flavours.
For a very long time, the promotion of traditional food is one of the main components of the relationship between food, culture and tourism. Even though food and culture are two separate worlds but they go well together. The world treats culture as an embodiment of people’s traditions and ways of life as it is always illustrated in their food, rituals, dances, festivals, sculptures, building designs, religion, clothing and other practices.
However, if we notice, the fusion of cultures is more common now than ever. Due to migration being a popular trend, there is also a rise in fusion foods, which, though it might look like, do not take away the origin of the society which they were originally born in. According to the area and different cultures, the types of food eaten by millions of people around the world vary. This diversity did not start like this but it gradually evolved to balance our society and the resources available. Therefore, we study how culture influences food choices and vice versa, to understand or have a deeper understanding of various food cultures.
European & Indian influences
There have been several changes post the Renaissance in food in both India and Europe. With the origin of the innovative cooks in Italy, it brought the use of wheat, barley, sesamum and brassica in India.
By that time, humans had also learnt to tame buffaloes, goats and sheep as they started becoming useful for agriculture. Slowly and steadily, the time marked the overall development and led us towards a civilised world, with a more scientifically managed lifestyle. Food in ancient India ultimately depicted the cultural development from ancient history as earlier Indians ate food from readily available nature. The principal food items of the nomadic dwellers were fruits, wild berries, meat, fish, etc.
People settled down with the advent of civilization and began to farm, which led to food crops, pulses, etc, being discovered. Now, the food was grown around the fertile river valleys in India. Rice, lentils, vegetables and meat were consumed as staples. Thus, the Indian civilisation period and the Renaissance in Europe are powerful examples of how culture influences food preferences.
Modern culture’s influence
Popular food rituals are eroding and patterns of meal preparation are shifting. People are mostly eating alone and we don’t eat three square meals a day anymore. Snacks are now almost equal to the number of meal opportunities, 49 per cent versus 51 per cent. Today’s signs of food quality have to be fresh, real and less-refined because consumers want to know and understand what all ingredients are incorporated in their food and the story behind the particular dish being served. Consumers are seeking simplicity, hence, they want minimally processed food. Nowadays, transparency is a new trend driving change in the food industry. Digitalisation is also readdressing our relationship with food because people are now using their smartphone to order food or to book or review restaurants online from anywhere in the world and rely on good food pictures as well. The rise in the millennial generation and their behaviour pattern has shown us that they are more concerned about their health, community, social issues and humane treatment of animals more than their older counterparts. Also, there is another opportunity we see as in the face of dining out, such as breakfast, small bites, the absence of additives/preservatives, organic casualisation (and its expansion into all stages of food service) as well as all-day snacking.
In this modern age, traditions are taking a back seat and convenience is becoming the focus. With this mantra being the driving force, food is itself changing to keep up with the fast-moving lifestyle. Asian cuisines have always encouraged family meals and thus, have different ways of consumption. For example, China uses chopsticks since having a family meal means a widespread on the table and chopsticks help to slow down your eating pace and tricks you into feeling full. Since families now hardly have time for each other. Hence, the meaning behind these small cultural aspects are getting lost.
Languages and food
The culture and customs revolve around food and language because among other slightly less important factors, early humans were more likely to develop their societies to keep themselves fed. Language is also riddled with phrases and idioms linked to food since the invention of communication was a survival strategy in large regions. Today, as we see food and language continue to be an important aspect of our lives and culture, there are tonnes of food idioms in many languages that reflect local cuisine because why wouldn’t they? In many restaurants, while catering to international visitors, the role of including local language in the menus has been adopted by the local linguals from region-specific dishes to keep up with the branding and make them distinctive in terms of their menu offering.
For example, a famous idiom in Hindi — Thotha Chana Baaje Ghana — is an indication towards how a learned man is always humble. There are many phrases that show us how food has been observed and incorporated into our lives in a way that we don’t even notice.
Thus, aromas and visual signals can jog people’s memories from their childhood relating to their favourite food, without even tasting it. This depicts how food can remind you of your traditions even if you’re overseas. It’s a way of coming home and feeling at peace. Most of the time chefs use this tactic to make their patrons feel more welcomed and homely. The best way to sell a house is by baking a fresh batch of cookies because the sweet and warm smell gives the house a homely vibe.
The differences among cultures’ significance are very much the differences we can see in food, which also affects the personality of the people who live there. Now it’s easier to access cuisines from distinct cultures as the world becomes more globalised. We all should accept our heritage through the food of our country but also try and explore other regions’ food and become more educated about other cultures and traditions as well. It is important to note that in the culture, to which it belongs, each dish has a special place and is even more special for those who prepare it. Food is, and it should be viewed as such, a gateway to culture.
(The author is the head chef of Krua Thai.)
