We Don't All Wear Fannypacks and Flower Print Shirts

We have discussed using food as exposure to other cultures before in this class. In “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner” we saw a girl try desperately to achieve the status of authority and authenticity within a culture she felt as semi- foreign within to her through the consumption of food that was what “authentic” American’s ate.

Why do we obsess ourselves with culinary tourism, however? Long, in a socio-philosophical way, constantly references the idea of “otherness,” that culinary tourists actively try to pursue when visiting new restaurants/ restaurants of other cultures, all within the confines and safety of their own culture.  We have spoken much about experiences in class, and I was curious as to how many of us would react upon the assumption that we are all culinary tourists? Do we eat to gain authority? Do we eat to meet a challenge? Or is it just the desire for some late night sesame chicken? Molz describes the “existential, experimental, and experiential tourists,” or those that pride the authenticity of their ethnic experiences within food, use their food tourism as a sign of their “sophistication and competency.” I don’t know about you, but the phrase “I was into [blank] way before it was popular” comes to mind.

While I might claim that I may or may not have more “authority” on a specific type of food over one who hasn’t eaten or cooked it, I feel that an important part of the argument is missing from Long and Moltz’s articles. What I believe isn’t touched is that of individual experiences that expand past the mere location or preparation of the food, but the who, what, and whys of food. Who were you eating with when you went out for Thai food? Were you celebrating someone’s birthday? Perhaps nuptials?

While I would be a bit incredulous to have expected all these factors to be taken into this socio-philosophical discussion of food and travel, I felt it was a little light on the individual experience, and rather focus on trends of middle-class tourism for those that like to go see the leaves change on the east side of the country.  We may all not be food adventurers, but each and every day we form a new experience, and I believe the  same thought process must be utilized when taking food tourism as a series topic.