Why are ethnic foods trendy now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at my Instagram feed and am met with beautifully displayed and watered down versions of Asian, middle eastern and and African cuisines. The girls making these recipes are not immigrants or POC but young, white rich women who “learned to cook in their kitchen and are foodies.”

I look at their recipes and it makes me a little sick. They’re using ethnic spice mixes and combinations of sauces that have so much history and context regarding the regions of the world in which they originate. I think of how white people used to eat pb&j now eat chicken curry and Korean tacos and naan.

As a POC it bothers me that our culinary heritage is discarded while a random white American person takes the basic idea and adopts it and presents it as their own.

So frustrating!

Americans often cook Americanized versions of foods from other countries. What’s the issue? Most people in most cultures do this- adapt foods to their tastes.

I would never say my pad kee mow is the best and most authentic version out there. I’m not Thai, I’ve (sadly) never even been to Thailand. But my family likes eating it. I don’t know why it would make anyone sad that people are using new (to them) ingredients and spices in their cooking.

Not OP, and I can't figure out what her issue is.

But an issue that is coming up lately with international cusines, especially those from non-Western cultures, is that many white/European-descended chefs are starting to reproduce Americanized versions of traditional dishes without acknowledging their cultural history. Often, these are the same foods that non-white/European-descended authors and immigrants were made fun of for eating. But if a white, blond lady publishes it in the NYT, all of a sudden it's "cool" instead of "gross". Alison Roman is the epitome of this. And many Indian, Chinese, African, etc chefs are irritated by it.

Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday from this perspective, because many of the "traditional" foods are actually Southern soul foods that originated in Black communities. Yet we talk about them like the Pilgrims at them. It's a form of cultural erasure that historically marginalized groups feel acutely. They've been told for centuries that their cultures are inferior...now all of a sudden the supposedly "superior" culture is taking their cultural heritage and passing it off as their own.

Anyway, since this is DCUM the majority of you will reduce this to "get real problems!" or "does this mean I'm a racist for eating spaghetti?"...but maybe some of you will read this and learn a little more about the heritage of the foods you eat. It can be fascinating, and provides more understanding of our rich multi-cultural heritage as well as more knowledge of formerly repressed communities. For example, it was because of a dish someone once cooked on Top Chef that I learned about the history of the Gullah Geechee: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/bj-dennis-gullah-geechee

Pp I agree with what you’ve written. I guess I was thinking about this from the perspective of a home cook who in no way monetizes their cooking or tries to take ownership of the recipes. I think it’s great for people to expand on their cooking skills. I also do see how it would be deeply troubling to watch people who made fun of your family’s cooking growing up present themselves as an authority on that same food as an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they claiming they created the dishes? Are they calling it American cuisine? I have my doubts, but please provide links to prove me wrong.

Look at Alison Roman with her “chickpea stew” and “gentle lentils”.

Ok. In the chickpea stew recipe, it clearly references “stews found in South India and parts of the Caribbean” right there in the first sentence.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019772-spiced-chickpea-stew-with-coconut-and-turmeric

And here she is talking about the lentils and mentions the South Asian origin of dal: https://anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/p/gentle-lentils

She did not claim either as American cuisine, and did not claim to invent anything or discover a new ingredient.

She only acknowledged dal after several commenters on her Insta called her out. And she acted like she’d never heard of the dish before.

Ah, ok. So despite the edit and apology, you’ve cancelled her for life. Got it.

Don’t act dumb. She only “apologized” once people told her it was inappropriate. Looks like you do the same as her.

[Anonymous]

The literal same people who made fun of uou? Yeah that sucks. “The sort of people” uh you mean pretty weird girls?

[Anonymous]

lol *white girls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not OP, and I can't figure out what her issue is.

But an issue that is coming up lately with international cusines, especially those from non-Western cultures, is that many white/European-descended chefs are starting to reproduce Americanized versions of traditional dishes without acknowledging their cultural history. Often, these are the same foods that non-white/European-descended authors and immigrants were made fun of for eating. But if a white, blond lady publishes it in the NYT, all of a sudden it's "cool" instead of "gross". Alison Roman is the epitome of this. And many Indian, Chinese, African, etc chefs are irritated by it.

Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday from this perspective, because many of the "traditional" foods are actually Southern soul foods that originated in Black communities. Yet we talk about them like the Pilgrims at them. It's a form of cultural erasure that historically marginalized groups feel acutely. They've been told for centuries that their cultures are inferior...now all of a sudden the supposedly "superior" culture is taking their cultural heritage and passing it off as their own.

Anyway, since this is DCUM the majority of you will reduce this to "get real problems!" or "does this mean I'm a racist for eating spaghetti?"...but maybe some of you will read this and learn a little more about the heritage of the foods you eat. It can be fascinating, and provides more understanding of our rich multi-cultural heritage as well as more knowledge of formerly repressed communities. For example, it was because of a dish someone once cooked on Top Chef that I learned about the history of the Gullah Geechee: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/bj-dennis-gullah-geechee

Pp I agree with what you’ve written. I guess I was thinking about this from the perspective of a home cook who in no way monetizes their cooking or tries to take ownership of the recipes. I think it’s great for people to expand on their cooking skills. I also do see how it would be deeply troubling to watch people who made fun of your family’s cooking growing up present themselves as an authority on that same food as an adult.

Yeah. I have no idea what OP's thing is. I just wanted to provide some broader context about why some of these discussions are happening.

I agree that home cooks aren't really the issue.

[Anonymous]

I don’t see what is the problem. I’m Hispanic and I like cooking Thai, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Italian. Why would this be a problem only if were white?

As humans one of the main ways we connect is through food so I don’t see anything wrong with people enjoying and learning to cook cuisine‘s that are different from their own cultural upbringings.

Food brings us together.

[Anonymous]

As an Italian I am deeply offended that pizza is cooked all around the world using pineapple as a topping. Don’t even get me started with chicken fettucine alfredo and carbonata with heavy cream.. (insert eye roll emoji here..)

[Anonymous]

*carbonara

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see what is the problem. I’m Hispanic and I like cooking Thai, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Italian. Why would this be a problem only if were white?

As humans one of the main ways we connect is through food so I don’t see anything wrong with people enjoying and learning to cook cuisine‘s that are different from their own cultural upbringings.

Food brings us together.

100% this

[Anonymous]

I would be impressed if a white person could cook good Korean food. Then, I'd ask to be invited over for dinner.

-Korean American

[Anonymous]

Mixed marriage here. My own MIL insisted that I (white woman) had to learn how to cook some of their traditional ethnic dishes and I did under her supervisioj.
Sorry OP, MIL didn’t read your post in time to be warned of the dangers of such a thing..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not OP, and I can't figure out what her issue is.

But an issue that is coming up lately with international cusines, especially those from non-Western cultures, is that many white/European-descended chefs are starting to reproduce Americanized versions of traditional dishes without acknowledging their cultural history. Often, these are the same foods that non-white/European-descended authors and immigrants were made fun of for eating. But if a white, blond lady publishes it in the NYT, all of a sudden it's "cool" instead of "gross". Alison Roman is the epitome of this. And many Indian, Chinese, African, etc chefs are irritated by it.

Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday from this perspective, because many of the "traditional" foods are actually Southern soul foods that originated in Black communities. Yet we talk about them like the Pilgrims at them. It's a form of cultural erasure that historically marginalized groups feel acutely. They've been told for centuries that their cultures are inferior...now all of a sudden the supposedly "superior" culture is taking their cultural heritage and passing it off as their own.

Anyway, since this is DCUM the majority of you will reduce this to "get real problems!" or "does this mean I'm a racist for eating spaghetti?"...but maybe some of you will read this and learn a little more about the heritage of the foods you eat. It can be fascinating, and provides more understanding of our rich multi-cultural heritage as well as more knowledge of formerly repressed communities. For example, it was because of a dish someone once cooked on Top Chef that I learned about the history of the Gullah Geechee: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/bj-dennis-gullah-geechee

Pp I agree with what you’ve written. I guess I was thinking about this from the perspective of a home cook who in no way monetizes their cooking or tries to take ownership of the recipes. I think it’s great for people to expand on their cooking skills. I also do see how it would be deeply troubling to watch people who made fun of your family’s cooking growing up present themselves as an authority on that same food as an adult.

Yeah. I have no idea what OP's thing is. I just wanted to provide some broader context about why some of these discussions are happening.

I agree that home cooks aren't really the issue.

DP here. I agree with both of you. And I'd like to recommend the Netflix series High on the Hog, about the African American roots of American food. It's a truly lovely docuseries - beautifully produced, emotionally touching, and celebratory of food and people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they claiming they created the dishes? Are they calling it American cuisine? I have my doubts, but please provide links to prove me wrong.

Look at Alison Roman with her “chickpea stew” and “gentle lentils”.

She totally deserved to be cancelled for that. I'm fine with white people making international cuisine, but give credit where credit is due. She was acting like these were original recipes. Lady, you're making Chole and daal!!!

except if she called it chole or dal she'd be equally cancelled. what people REALLY want is for Alison Roman not to be allowed to do anything.

if a published chef has to give an international culinary history of each ingredient or technique, that's going to be pretty inconvenient. lentil's originally came from the Middle East anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they claiming they created the dishes? Are they calling it American cuisine? I have my doubts, but please provide links to prove me wrong.

Look at Alison Roman with her “chickpea stew” and “gentle lentils”.

Ok. In the chickpea stew recipe, it clearly references “stews found in South India and parts of the Caribbean” right there in the first sentence.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019772-spiced-chickpea-stew-with-coconut-and-turmeric

And here she is talking about the lentils and mentions the South Asian origin of dal: https://anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/p/gentle-lentils

She did not claim either as American cuisine, and did not claim to invent anything or discover a new ingredient.

Yes, but she should have called them by their traditional names.

So, people complain because her food isn't "authentic," AND that she's not calling them by the traditional name of the food she's not making right in the first place?

basically she's not allowed to cook with legumes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they claiming they created the dishes? Are they calling it American cuisine? I have my doubts, but please provide links to prove me wrong.

Look at Alison Roman with her “chickpea stew” and “gentle lentils”.

She totally deserved to be cancelled for that. I'm fine with white people making international cuisine, but give credit where credit is due. She was acting like these were original recipes. Lady, you're making Chole and daal!!!

except if she called it chole or dal she'd be equally cancelled. what people REALLY want is for Alison Roman not to be allowed to do anything.

if a published chef has to give an international culinary history of each ingredient or technique, that's going to be pretty inconvenient. lentil's originally came from the Middle East anyway.

dp. I don't think she should be canceled for it. But, it does make her look ignorant, and also anyone else who doesn't realize that it's an ethnic dish and thinks it's a new American cuisine. If they came across someone who knew what it was, and they said that, "oh, that's an <ethnic> cuisine", and the ignorant person kept insisting it wasn't, guess who looks the fool.

Maybe Roman knew that most of her followers were too ignorant to notice.