Something that I have an
interest in is cooking since I always watch cooking shows such as Chopped or MasterChef.
I note that the competitors always bring in new flavors into their dishes even
if they aren’t from the country that the flavors they’re using are from. They
explore different cuisines and flavors. The question that I will pose is, how authentic are the foods if it isn’t
cooked by a chef who is from the country of the cuisine. This brings in
intersectionality which defined by Threshold Concepts is “a theoretical
framework that posits that multiple social categories (eg., race, ethnicity,
gender, sexual orientation, socio economic status) intersect at the micro level
of individual experience to reflect multiple interlocking systems of privilege
and oppression at the macro, social-structural level” (114-115).
We
can see that there are a lot of identity factors in play regarding to the
question. Most of the time people think that those who have lived longer or are
older have more experiences therefore they’ll probably know more. If their
race/ethnicity is tied to the cuisine, they’ll also probably know more and etc.
with the other factors. Of course, the chefs who are older and stick to their
race/ethnicity/country cuisine will be privileged whereas those who choose a
different cuisine will be oppressed. Just from their skin color, people may start
judging the authenticity of the food and never think about anything beyond
that. We always judge without knowing the full background information of the people,
therefore we don’t fully understand them. “Although gender as a category of
analysis is useful, it is incomplete without understanding that other
categories of identity (race, sexuality, class, age, etc.) are equally as
important in gaining accurate knowledge about people’s lives and experiences”
(114).
I agree that cooking is a BIG place where your intersectionality can play a role in how well, or what kind of jobs you get offered. That tying into how you make your food (if you stick to your cultural food or branch out) can change how you are perceived. I would say that age doesn't always factor in as much as the personality of the individual, and how adventurous they are when it comes to food.
ReplyDeleteEven though Wynna makes a good point, I do agree with LC that age does play an important role in intersectionality and cooking. I personally think that my grandmas and parents cooking are a lot better than mine because of their experience. Yes, probably not true for everyone but the extra years would make them more likely to be better at something, like cooking. I also agree with the ethnicity affecting how we think about the food a person is making.
ReplyDeleteYou ask good questions! It's interesting to think about how age and experience can be valued, especially in cooking.
ReplyDeleteWithin the chef and food popular culture there have been some controversies about folks from dominant groups appropriating the food of another culture. And at the same time, folks from non-white racial and/or ethnic groups are sometimes locked into only cooking their "ethnic cuisine."