The Atmosphere of Food
Having the opportunity to travel all over the world has allowed me to experience many different cultures and how those cultures affect many aspects of daily lives. One fascination of mine has always been the effect of culture on food. Most times people talk about the dish itself, but I believe that the overall experience/atmosphere provides a better cultural immersion experience.
Why does the restaurant or environment provide more of a cultural experience than the food alone? Because different cultures prepare and present themselves in many different ways, which often reflect their values and character. In the various locations I’ve visited not one restaurant was the same as another, even if the food was shared between locations.
At a winter market in Helsinki, Finland families gather around booths of local vendors and browse the various products. It’s all about getting to meet new faces, while at the same time reconciling with familiar faces. Getting the chance to browse various booths with family and friends and sharing a similar experience is what these markets are all about. Chestnuts were roasted on an open fire, and while talking in a very broken conversation, due to language barriers, me and this man were able to talk about different aspects of life and how each other were doing during the holiday seasons. The Finnish are a heavily family oriented country and these winter markets are a perfect example of that claim. After visiting this market a reflection was made on my personal life and the relationships I share with my family and friends. It made me realize how important other people are to your life and you should try and share as many priceless memories with others than just yourself.
In Dubai, UAE, myself and some friends were looking for some quick food and ran into a Pani Puri stand. While not of Arabic descent, this Indian dish is way more entertaining than I expected. Growing up with friends whose parents are from India and Pakistan this is not the first time I’ve had this meal, but definitely the first time I saw it prepared the way it was. The stand was in an alley off of the main street and had a total of two employees. These two men produced these Pani Puri faster than I thought possible. Being able to watch them make this dish while laughing and talking with your friends was something I’ll never forget. In most restaurants it’s about the slow process and producing a meal that is visually appealing. It was the opposite here, it was messy, with juices and food all over the place. It goes to prove that sometimes you have to let yourself loose and just have fun. So what it’s messy and all over the place, as long as you’re making people happy while having a good time why does everything have to be so neat and organized. Too many people are too focused on impressing others with visual representation, and this restaurant was a great example of doing what you like and not listening to what society says.
It was my first time out of the country and I travelled to Budapest, Hungry. We got off of a long plane ride and were all hungry. Our taxi driver recommended his favorite restaurant, which wasn’t too far from our Air bnb. When we were walking up to the restaurant I was very skeptical of where this man told us to go. Tucked away in the back of this tiny alley we were presented with a very hidden entrance to a tiny restaurant. Usually when one thinks of a good meal they imagine an expensive, eloquent, critically acclaimed restaurant. This was the exact opposite, it was a tiny family owned restaurant that to this day I can’t find on the internet. I was very ashamed of my preconceived notions of food after I had what would become my favorite dish of all time. This place was all about tradition. On the walls traditional decorations such as clothes, colors, and paintings surrounded us as we ate. In the corner a man was playing a traditional Hungarian Instrument I’ve never seen before, known as the Cimbalom. Our waiters spoke little to no english and had to rely on us pointing to menu items as a form of communication. We were surrounded by Hungarian music and laughter from men at the bar, not laughing at us, but just having a good time. This restaurant was a turning point in my opinion of food forever. I judged this restaurant before we even stepped in and was extremely ashamed by doing so. This local place taught me that some of the best things in life don’t need public recognition, or have to look perfect. What made this place so special is that only local Hungarians knew about this place, and it wasn’t overrun with tourism or criticism. Ever since visiting that restaurant I’ve gone into each place with an open mind knowing that some of the best things in life come from the least expected places.
While writing this paper I realized that something as commonly shared as food has had such a large impact on the way I view the world and the way I carry out my daily life. Having the opportunity to experience so many different cultures has drastically increased my intellectual knowledge and has allowed me to see things from many different perspectives. Too many people live with such tunnel vision and don’t realize that they are such a small aspect of this very large world. Experiencing other cultures other than your own has had such a valuable experience for me that I hope others have the chance to experience one day as well.
Link to Pictures of different restuants below
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1l4VUAO80tCbWO8Ovp9xJ3_oKVEHSq2884Gd1ihnf8Bw/edit?usp=sharing
