Culinary Tourism Essay

997 Words4 Pages
“Ethnography of an Ethnic Restaurant” Culinary tourism, the subject of Lucy Long’s thoroughly conceived book, is more than about individuals exploring the edible world; it’s about using food to explore new cultures and ways of being. It’s about communicating histories and identities. It’s about the nature of the encounter while stepping out of the ordinary and noticing the difference. Long identifies ethnic restaurants as one example of an specific site of culinary tourism. Therefore, I chose to dine in at a newly opened Mediterranean restaurant in my neighborhood named Anatolia Bar and Grille in order to experience what it means to be a culinary tourist first hand. I carefully observed the inside of the restaurant, the customers, the wait staff, the menu as well as the food. As a culinary tourist, I was not only participating but also perceiving otherness while exploring a new culture without having to travel outside of my neighborhood. My expectation shaped the interchange upon each encounter, similar to the way Long explains throughout her book. I did a little bit of research prior to choosing Anatolia as my culinary tourism destination. The name Anatolia refers to a geographic and historical region in Turkey, covering approximately two thirds of the westernmost protrusion of Asia. I knew then that the restaurant must have a variety of food besides Turkish. My guess was true since the sign outside said Mediterranean and Italian cuisine and the menu included a variety of shish kebabs, salads, pizzas, pastas as well as several Turkish and a few Greek dishes. The restaurant was not only for Turks or those who simply want to explore the Turkish cuisine but also for those who are afraid to try something new but know for a fact that there is something on the menu that they are familiar with. Inside the restaurant, the customers and the wait staff were just as

More about Culinary Tourism Essay

Open Document