Ethiopian Food’s Lack of Adaption in America
American is incredibly diverse when it comes to all the different types of foods from other countries that we consume. Some food, such as Italian, Mexican, and Chinese, have become staples in our diets. Despite this, some other cultures’ cuisines have not been able to translate as well in America for various reasons. Ethiopian food is not as popular as the food from the aforementioned countries in America. Ethiopian food has not translated as well as many others due to its lack of adaptation to American culture; because of this, we are missing out on an incredible experience due to the need for modernity.
Before we talk about Ethiopian food, we can look at why have other cultures’ foods become such a staple in our diets. The main reason that many of these types of foods have been able to translate in America is due to the changes they undergo in order to be more palatable to Americans. Mexican food, for example, has changed greatly from the authentic style in order to thrive in American culture. Americans have created a “Tex-Mex” style of eating that strays away from traditional Mexican eating and therefore has become very popular. American-style Mexican food uses different ingredients, flavors, and even styles of cooking and eating. It can be argued that these adjustments are necessary to make something popular in Western culture. Because of the lack of alterations of Ethiopian food in America, it is significantly less popular.
There are a lot of differences between the American and Ethiopian styles of eating. To start, the way the two cuisines are eaten is very different. Ethiopian food is served on injera, a thin, sour flatbread. Utensils are not used to consume the different meats, vegetables, and proteins, but instead, you use the injera to pick up and eat your food. The food is also meant to share, and everyone eats off the same plate. This contrasts with American food style-eating, where we usually use a fork and knife. Even when Americans consume other styles of food, it is normally eaten with a fork and knife.
Another big difference between the types of cuisines is what the meal represents for each culture. In Ethiopia, meals are important as a way to connect with family. Meals include music, dancing, and sometimes traditional clothing. Eating off of a shared plate is important to their tradition, and families will often feed each other food using the injera. This is starkly different from American meals, where we order separate meals, and meals tend to be quicker and rushed. The goal of eating in America is typically just to satisfy hunger, whereas in Ethiopia, they use meals to bond with one another and as a crucial part of their family traditions.
One of the reasons that Ethiopian food has not been modernized is the lack of effort from Ethiopian citizens and immigrants. In a Washingtonian article by Todd Kilman, he talks with people in Ethiopia to find out why they haven’t felt the need to Americanize their food. Kilman quotes one of the interviewees said, “Just as Ethiopians are enormously proud that their country has been called the birthplace of civilization… they’re proud of the fact that they’re eating the same food as their nomadic, tribal ancestors.” Ethiopians have a great appreciation for the tradition of their food and the way it has remained the same for years. Tim Carman from the Washington Post echos, a similar statement, saying that “ The restaurants “largely serve the Ethiopian community,” Because their food is so important to their cultural identity, they don’t feel the need to change it just to be more comfortable for Americans.
Ethiopian food is actually very popular in Washington DC specifically because of the large Ethiopian population. According to Chowhound, “Ethiopians began to relocate to the D.C. area in 1974, first into the Adams Morgan neighborhood and eventually shifting in the 1980s to the Shaw neighborhood and historic U Street which today is known as Little Ethiopia”. Little Ethiopia now houses the largest Ethiopian population in the United States. Ethiopian food is popular in this area because there are so many native people that enjoy the traditional style of eating. However, areas with fewer Ethiopians have yet to catch up to this area in terms of the popularity of their cuisine.
The reason that the lack of modernization so greatly affects the popularity of the food comes down to Americans being uncomfortable eating types or styles of food that are different then what we are accustomed to. Because of the very traditional style of food, Americans may not know what to order and how to eat it. This leads to many people just avoiding Ethiopian restaurants in general and sticking with food that more closely resembles our own. This creates a cycle of Americans consuming only the same types of food because of the belief that our culture is superior to others. This lack of branching out leads to potentially missing out on a new favorite, just because it is different than what we are used to.
While modernization of Ethiopian food is not as widespread as other cultures, in recent years, assimilation to American culture has been attempted. In his article, Carman describes a new Ethiopian restaurant that attempts to make certain dishes more contemporary. “The opening menu at the revamped Etete reads, unlike anything you’ve seen before in an Ethiopian restaurant. Roberson has created an injera taco, stuffed with Doro wat, the signature chicken stew of Ethiopia”. By making the dishes resemble ones we often eat in America, the chef attempts to draw more people in and encourage them to try this style of food. This is a very recent endeavor, and modern Ethiopian restaurants are still not common in America.
According to another article by Carman about a modern Ethiopian restaurant, restaurants that don’t evolve to fit American standards can sometimes face hardships. Carman says, “Etete’s owners felt they had to evolve or lapse into irrelevancy”. Because of America’s craving for modernization and to fit the Western standard, restaurants that don’t become Americanized can fail. This mirrors the experience that many other cultures face when attempting to remain extremely traditional in a foreign country. However, like many restaurants that have become modern, the owners still keep traditional dishes for those who can appreciate them. The article says that “Owners have carried over a handful of dishes from the old menu”. This combination of menu items allows Ethiopian people to experience authentic food they are familiar with, while also attracting Americans with modern dishes. Despite this, so many people enjoy traditional Ethiopian food and it has remained so important to the culture. While new Ethiopian restaurants may be interesting, nothing can compare to the authentic style and such special traditions shouldn’t be forced to change to appease Americans.
Ethiopian cuisine does have its niche in The United States but it is arguably less widespread than many of the food from other countries. Ethiopians have not felt the need to assimilate their traditional food, therefore it can be intimidating for Americans to eat it. However, I believe that lots of American people would really enjoy Ethiopian food if they tried it. I personally had never tried it myself, until I was introduced by a person of Ethiopian descent. It was very unfamiliar and unlike anything I had tried before, but I ended up really enjoying the food and the immersion in the culture. Sometimes all it takes is one push to decide to try a new cuisine that could be a new favorite. By diversifying our palates and opening our minds, many Americans can discover something amazing, without trying to change it. While the lack of modernization has caused Ethiopian food to be less popular than others, the traditional style and culture that comes with it is something that makes it beloved to many.
https://www.washingtonian.com/2015/02/12/why-hasnt-ethiopian-food-gone-upscale/
https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/200180/youd-be-remiss-to-not-try-ethiopian-food-in-dc/
