Kebab restaurant review

Exploring Identity Through Culinary Journeys

grudzień 01, 2024

Kacper Jeżak

Have you ever felt a strange yet unexplainable connection to a food or dish you’ve never tried before?

A while ago, I found myself in a modest yet cozy restaurant in Istanbul, the biggest city in Turkey.

When exploring a new culture, I usually order a meal from their traditional cuisine, hoping to discover

new tastes or expand my sense of flavor. Despite not sharing the same culinary background,

I fell in love with the new type of food I’ve never eaten before. In that moment,

I realized the importance of national fare in shaping our identity and how our preferences shape who we are.

Through this interaction I started wondering about matters like: 

• How what we eat influences the sense of who we are?

• Are our identities shaped partially by cuisines of our native cultures?

• Does the expanding rate of new fast food restaurants lessen the diversity of our local fare,

hence making our identity and culture poorer?

Fluid Identity in a Globalized World

In today's world the sense of identity is very fluid and doesn't have one shape or form.

When asked “Who are you?”, we usually answer that we belong to one country or another,

however the concept of nationality is a modern-day invention. For centuries, people have identified more locally,

more to a town or a family, rather than a whole country or a continent. Nowadays, the borders are easier to cross

and our cultures blend with one another. For that reason, it seems like there is no simple answer to the question

of identity. However, one aspect that often shapes our identity profoundly is food. 

Food as a Universal Language

Food is a universal language that transcends borders and brings people together. Through exploring different

national dishes or embarking on a culinary journey we can taste new flavors or learn about the heritage of

a certain culture. As Anthony Bourdain once wrote in his book "Kitchen Confidential:

Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly", "Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling,

ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma.”.

This quote is especially relevant nowadays where identities are no longer shaped purely by a place or a location,

but by many factors, one of which being the food and meals we share with others. When I explored Turkey

through the culinary lens I stumbled across Hünkar Beğendi - a dish with grilled, pureed eggplant topped with

sautéed lamb in a creamy sauce. This meal not only introduced me to a new taste but also connected me to the

history and traditions behind it.

Impact of Fast-Food Globalization

Globalization and the rapid expansion of fast-food restaurants are phenomena that whether we like them

or not are present in today’s world. They can contribute in many ways such as providing affordable food

in many areas or serving as a quick high calorie boost when you’re on a road trip.

Nevertheless, many great features of fast food are overshadowed by the harm they cause, including

threatening the diversity of local cuisine. With fast food chains becoming more and more popular worldwide,

many of the traditional meals, dishes are replaced with cheaper, more available options.

Preserving Culinary Traditions

It’s important to remember and protect our culinary culture as it’s a significant part of our identity.

While it is inevitable that most of us will visit places such as fast food places, it is crucial to keep

these traditions through which we can not only connect with other people around the world

but also foster our understanding of who we are.

Join the Culinary Conversation

I encourage you to reflect on your own culinary journey. Have you explored another culture through taste

or felt particularly connected to a dish you have never tried before? Share your thoughts in the comment

section below and discuss your opinion with other readers. 

Don’t forget to subscribe for more content about food, identity and culture.

Check out other related blogs such as:   

• https://www.identitiesjournal.com/blog-collection/food-and-identities-yours-mine-theirs-or-ours

• https://eatforlonger.com/exploring-food-culture-how-cuisines-reflect-cultural-identity/

• https://www.arts.ubc.ca/news/the-intersection-of-culture-and-cuisine-how-food-shapes-our-identity/