What did you expect to learn and how does that compare to what you did learn?

I expected to learn about specific steadfast rules that made something authentic. While doing my initial research I read a lot of articles and readings that critiqued the use of the word authentic pertaining to food. I didn’t quite understand the critiques and still believed there must be some static rules agreements in the food industry about authenticity. I thought that my interviewees would say things like, “A dish is only authentic if traditional ingredients are being used” or “Only Chinese people can cook authentic Chinese food”. But while conducting interviews I heard many of my interviewees say things like, “Food is dynamic, not static” or often return my question, “What does authenticity mean to you”. It was interesting to hear how people in the food industry think about the word authentic versus thinking about the term as a “normal” customer. Conducting interviews and reading books brought me to understanding that authenticity is subjective. Something that stayed with me was when Chef Suvir Saran said, “What is considered authentic now, will not be 100 years from now”. It made me think about how different ingredients are introduced to cuisines that have huge lasting impacts to today. Like tomatoes for Italian food and Chillies for Indian food. Since I conducted my project through the lens of Chinese and Indian cuisine I especially thought the answers I would get would be that only specific spices, vegetables, meats, techniques and recipes make Chinese/Indian food authentic. But learning from people from these communities who cook or know about food proved again that authenticity is subjective.

How do you anticipate this experience changing you or affecting you going forward? 

I anticipate that my SP (Senior Project) experience will change my relationship to food. While I always loved food and was interested in it, I never had a real understanding of cuisine. Learning about food, cuisine, ownership of one’s culture, cooking techniques, history and more has given me a much deeper understanding and appreciation for food than I formally had. The history aspect was especially meaningful since I got to learn about Chinese food history and Indian food history. The thing it’ll change most is definitely how I experience eating out in a restaurant. My SP experience will now make me think about the chef, where they’re from, they’re inspiration for the dishes, where they got the recipes from, the ingredients and more. It has also taught me not to view other cuisines through such a western standpoint. Western food like Italian and French food is considered the best cuisine in the world but now I really question why people believe that? What makes it better than any other cuisine? Who are the people who award things like Michelin stars, who are the people deciding what’s good and what’d not. 

What do you most want others to know about your SP Experience

I want people to know that I learned a lot and definitely stepped out of my comfort zone. The interview process was definitely something new for me, and it took my process definitely took some refinement to get to where it is now. The process took a lot of organization, discipline, and good communication skills. Those are all things I struggle with so overcoming some of the obstacles I faced were definitely hard.