History and Culinary Identity 1

Running Head: History and Culinary Identity

The Relationship between History and Culinary Identity

Jenny Lim

Glen Allen High School

Introduction
 History and Culinary Identity 2

Food is irrefutably a vital part of human survival. It is the only source of energy for

humans to perform basic functions, such as breathing, keeping the body warm, and digesting. It

is common to acknowledge food as a valuable means to survival; however, many people are

unaware of the underlying meaning of food as it reveals abundant information about a person or

a groups beliefs, backgrounds, cultural values, personalities, and knowledge. The emerging

interdisciplinary field of food studies attempts to emphasize the connection between food and

cultural and personal identities (Almerico, 2014). In addition to the physical nourishment it

provides, food has a more intricate value as the consumers psychological needs intertwine with

social factors to influence his or her food choices and eating habits. In addition, food reveals

significant aspects of a culture or a countrys history as food is often introduced, altered, and

spread during major historical events or changes. This review aims to analyze the inseparable

relationship between history of a country and transformations in its culinary culture.

Effect of Immigration on the Culinary Culture of the United States

Immigration has been identified as one of the most distinct aspects of and strong forces

American history. Especially in major cities, the transformations in the cultural values and

dynamics are evident as a surplus of immigrants from diverse regions of the world is available.

The ubiquity of Chinese restaurants in the United States, even more than that of fast food

restaurants, proves the role of immigration in changing the food identity of a country. The Ted

Talk named The Hunt for General Tso offers fortune cookies as a primary example in portraying

the power of history (Lee, 2008). Like the most of Chinese food in America, such as beef with

broccoli egg rolls, General Tsos Chicken, and chop suey, fortune cookies are not even

recognizable to Chinese. They originated from a small bakery in Japan, but ironically, it is now
 History and Culinary Identity 3

the symbol of Chinese food in America. They arrived in the United States when the Japanese

immigrants introduced them to major cities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, during era that

peaked in immigration. However, during World War I when all the Japanese were sent to the

internment camps, the Chinese Americans took over the business to create what Americans now

perceive as fortune cookies. Like Lee says, fortune cookies were invented by the Japanese,

popularized by the Chinese, but ultimately consumed by American, and historical events of the

United States, including mass immigration from Asia and World War I, were behind this

significant transformation.

Another example that epitomizes the diversification of food in the United States through

immigration is outlined by the emergence of Thai food in Los Angeles in the late 20th century.

Padoongpat examines the unique America history of immigrants of diverse cultures bringing new

tastes and diets in order to draw a holistic picture of the present American culinary culture. Prior

to the mass emergence of Thai immigrants in the United States, Thai food was not as common as

it is now. It was a rare delicacy, cooked often by those who have lived in Thailand. It began to

emerge in large number with the Hart-Cellar Act, also known as the Immigration and Nationality

Act of 1965, which affected the Thai immigrants in Los Angeles as they faced white American

citizens absurd fear of the U.S. becoming a third world country (2011). As a coping example, the

Thais used Thai cuisine to negotiate race and ethnicity, lessening the racial tension by

popularizing their cuisine. The rapid popularization of Thai food shows how the unique

American culinary culture was defined by the history of immigration, as it influenced racial

relationships.

Effect of Migration and Immigration on the Culinary Culture of Other Countries

 History and Culinary Identity 4

In addition to the United States, migration and immigration in other countries, such as

Italy and Mexico, have affected their respective food cultures as well. Gabaccia and Pilcher in

their study examine how traditions of preparing food for sale and eating in public have changed

as people began immigrating to a country with a radically different culinary culture and

technology (2011). In the section covering the Italian culinary culture, the authors discuss how

street foods used to be a cyclical occurrence but the urbanization in the late 18th and 19th

centuries led them to be ubiquitous as thousands of people migrated to larger cities for job

opportunities. Another example demonstrates how the modern cooking traditions of Naples arose

from the increasing popularity of plebian and aristocratic tastes in the 19th century (2011). In

addition, Italys unification in 1861 led three local restaurant dynasties to send out their cooking

abroad with the regional emigrants. As these examples show, the history of Italy closely

intertwined with the development of street foods in both Italy and United States, outlining the

drastic alteration of culinary culture with major historical events.

Similarly in Mexico, the development of street foods reveals unique historical events of

Mexico. Mexican street foods were created from the culinary traditions of both Hispanic cities

and indigenous countryside. The authors lead through the historical journey of Mexico, from the

age of conquistadors in 1500s to the development of fondas small enclosed spaces that offered

Spanish-style meals (2011). It is important to note that they make a clear distinction between the

street foods of these two countries in order to underscore the effect the history of each country

has on its respective culinary culture. By isolating the historical contexts of two countries

separately, the significance of history as it guides the course of culinary movement is maximized.

Conclusion
 History and Culinary Identity 5

This review looked into the effect of history on the culinary culture of a country.

Scrutinizing migration and immigration patterns especially, it contrasts transformations of

culinary cultures in the United States and other countries, such as Mexico and Italy, in order to

isolate history as the prominent factor influencing the food culture. Migration to bigger cities

during the Industrial Revolution in hopes for obtaining jobs precipitated in the development of

more street foods in Italy. The combination of traditions of indigenous countryside and Hispanic

cities drove to the active creation of fondos in Mexico that allowed quick, easy consumption of

street food. In the United States, its unique immigration patterns, especially from Asian

countries, shaped the mass popularization of Asian food and the racial relationships as well.

Today, immigration still continues to occur at a high rate. With better means of transportation and

technology, a huge population from numerous countries immigrates to foreign countries or

migrates within their countries. From the examples analyzed in previous sections,

immigration/migration ameliorated relationships between different cultures as well as

popularizing exotic, quickly consumable food. Although other historical movements, such as

the Native American and African American presence in the United States, have affected

development of food culture, immigration proves to be one of the most powerful agents of

change. Given that food is not just a necessity for survival, it should be scrutinized as a mirror of

the countrys identity.

References

Almerico, G. M. (2014). Food and identity: Food studies, cultural, and personal identity. Journal

of International Business and Cultural Studies, 8, 1-7. Retrieved from

http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/141797.pdf
 History and Culinary Identity 6

Gabaccia, D. R., & Pilcher, J. M. (2011). "Chili Queens" and Checkered Tablecloths. Radical

History Review, (110), 109. doi:10.1215/01636545-2010-028

Lee, J. (2008, December). The Hunt for General Tso. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_8_lee_looks_for_general_tso#t-163931

Padoongpatt, T. M. (2011). Too Hot to Handle. Radical History Review, (110), 83.

doi:10.1215/01636545-2010-027