Cultural appropriation: Why is food such a sensitive subject? - new york times chinese restaurant review hot dish

Earlier this week, a New York restaurant made headlines for rather unfortunate reasons.
A new Chinese restaurant run by Jews, Lucky Lee's
The American couple, who claimed to provide "clean" Chinese food with healthy ingredients, would not make people feel "bloated and disgusting" the next day ".
It tells the Eater website: "There are very few Americans --
The Chinese place values the quality of the ingredients as much as we do.
"This has caused a strong backlash on social media, where people blame the restaurant for using racist language, cultural embezzlement and a lack of knowledge about Chinese food.
The restaurant's Instagram account is surrounded by thousands of angry comments, some of which question the qualifications of a white couple running a Chinese restaurant --
As well as the defense lawyer's comments, they accused "online slacking" of being easily offended by targeting restaurant owners simply because of their ethnicity.
The whole debate became so polarized that the rating site Yelp, after flooding with positive and negative comments, posted an "unusual activity" alert on the restaurant page, many people seem to have come from people who have not been to restaurants.
Lucky Lee's later issued a statement saying it did not "make a negative comment on all Chinese cuisine . . . . . . The Chinese cuisine is very diverse with many different flavors (
Usually delicious in our opinion)
Health benefits ".
It added that it would "always listen and reflect accordingly" given the "cultural sensitivity ".
The owner, Arielle Haspel, told the New York Times: "We are very sorry.
We have never tried to do anything against Chinese society.
We think we are adding a very important dish to meet the needs of people with certain dietary requirements.
"In a series of bickering over food and cultural embezzlement, the commotion is up to date.
American chef Andrew Zimmern has been attacked for saying his restaurant lucky cricket will free people from the trough
The standard "restaurant disguised as Chinese food in the Midwest ".
Critics accused him of patronizing small restaurants run by immigrant families, after which he issued an apology.
Meanwhile, in the UK, supermarket chains Marks and Spencer are accused of cultural embezzlement after producing a new vegetarian biriyani package, although Indian dishes are usually served with rice and meat.
Gordon Ramsey, a new restaurant in London, "lucky cat" has been criticized for selling himself as an "authentic Asian restaurant --
No Asian chefs, though.
When did food become such a sensitive topic?
Why would it cause such a strong reaction from both sides of the debate?
For many people
Especially for ethnic minorities
Food can be both personal and political.
Second-and third-generation immigrants often "feel lost in their own culture"
Their costumes are Western, their language is Western, and food is almost the last cultural area in their memory. A sociology and Food Research Professor at New York University told the BBC.
Many Chinese Americans talked about their experiences of growing up.
For example, when students learn to make fun of the food in their lunch boxes.
Luke Cai, a food writer in the Bay Area of San Francisco, said: "We grew up in the United States, there is
The status of our identity.
Are we American?
Are we Chinese?
It is difficult to be accepted in many mainstream cultures.
He remembers being "a little ashamed" of Chinese food when he was young"
"I don't want to bring Chinese food at school lunch --
I want a sandwich or pizza.
"People say, 'Why are you eating that smelly thing? That's gross!
"But for many of us, as we get older, we think of the food our parents make us, and that's a big source of our nostalgia --
In a way, we embrace the Asian immigrant side.
He added: "Many Chinese restaurants deliberately adjust the menu to serve more fried or concentrated sauces as these are items that are more familiar to the" mainstream white audience.
"The reason they open these restaurants is not because they don't cook their real Chinese food, but because of what they do to survive and cater to the audience.
"So, now seeing this change, there was a white restaurant owner who opened a restaurant and said, 'We don't like the Chinese American restaurants you know ', we serve clean Chinese food . . . . . . It is especially harmful and offensive to many people.
"This is also a historical background.
In the 1880 s, the United States passed legislation banning Chinese workers from immigrating to the United States.
Only a few categories are tax-free.
Including restaurant owners
Historians say this has led to a boom in Chinese restaurants in the United States.
However, "most of the American exposure to Chinese food is cheap Chinese food," Professor ray said, adding that the dish is linked to "a contempt, because it is associated with "cheap raw materials and most of the untrained labor force.
"Few Americans realize or know that China may have the world's most complex food culture as early as 500.
"Some of the sharpest criticisms on both sides are the issue of ownership.
Some negative social media comments about Lucky Lee focus on the fact that owners are white
Although critics have responded that it is absurd to only allow Chinese to cook Chinese food.
Francis Lin, the host of the wonderful table radio show, believes that many of the anger surrounding cultural grants and food is due to "the interruption of dialogue ".
"I think if you are a chef or restaurant owner, it can be said that you may put a lot of energy into your business when you think people say" you are not allowed to do this, I don't want to listen.
However, he believes that for those who oppose cultural appropriation, the question is "who is not allowed or allowed to do things", but about the way things are done.
"If you want to elevate yourself to someone who cooks or sells food from a culture that you have not grown up with, I would say, it's also your responsibility to make sure you do it in a way that truly respects the people who grew up in culture --
Frankly, those people invented some of the things you are doing.
"Andy Rick, an award --
Before starting the chain restaurant, Pok, the award-winning chef and bestselling cookbook book author spent 13 years learning Thai food and getting familiar with ingredients and languages.
He is recognized as an expert in northern Thai cuisine.
His practice has been praised by Asian chefs and food critics.
Others, however, also question why white chefs are seen as the authority of Thai food, not the authority of Thai food.
He suggested that chefs should "be aware of the importance of language" and be "accurate and loyal" as much as possible ".
"I can't say I made authentic food because I didn't have any requirements for it.
The most important thing for a chef like him, he says, is "respect others and don't claim that anything is yours ".
Don't label food
Don't add peppers, basil and peanuts to something in Thailand, or put something in a sandwich, call it Banh Mi . . . . . . You're playing cliché, which doesn't look good ".
He also said it was critical for the chef to "grow thick skin"
No matter what you have in your heart, no matter how careful you are about what you say, there will always be no one.
"At the same time, Chris Sheppard cooked a series of delicacies at UB Preserv in Houston, Texas, but he said it was important for him to emphasize and cherish the culture that inspired him.
His restaurant bill has a list of his favorite local restaurants and "we want you back to UB Preserv, but we politely ask you to visit at least one of them first . "
He admitted that his restaurant attracted more money and publicity than many small businesses, but said his goal was to "get people who don't usually go" to those places, or "visit these restaurants and be part of this community ".
Nowadays, the debate about identity politics seems to be constant, and there are endless incidents of anger.
Keeping politics out of food is certainly tempting.
But commentators believe that the food industry, like other industries, is linked to power structures and privileges --
This is not a fair competitive environment for everyone.
"If you are running a company, you are already in contact with the public to decide who you are hiring and who can afford to eat at your restaurant, what will your staff look like?
"The hundreds of decisions you are making will have an impact on society," Tsai said . "
At the same time, Professor Lei said his research shows that some minority chefs may face some special obstacles.
"American chefs in China, Mexico and India tend to cook" their own food ", while white chefs tend to cross borders more easily" and are seen as "art" when they do ".
In his memoir, Kwame Onwuachi said that in a casting session, a television producer told him that American audiences were not prepared to see black chefs like him cook food.
Similarly, chef Edourdo Jordan had previously told GQ that it was difficult for some to believe that he was the owner of a restaurant serving French and Italian food.
Mr Ricker agrees that white chefs face some advantages when cooking in the West.
"Of course, in a culture where white people dominate, white people are always easier to get along with than others.
But that's what I would say.
If you are a Westerner who wants to cook in Thailand, you will face a lot of doubts, sometimes even outright ridicule.
I think the dominant culture is human nature, not people in their culture.
"These perceptions will also have an impact on the profits of restaurants.
In a study, Professor Lei found that certain cuisines are treated as more prestigious dishes and restaurants can charge more.
For example, the average meal at Zagat
Listed French or Japanese restaurants are $30 higher than the average price of Zagat
His research found that Chinese restaurants or southern restaurants were listed in 2015.
Chef Wu Johnson met this when he opened the high store-
Fung Tu Chinese restaurant in New York.
The restaurant received excellent reviews. Bloomberg called the restaurant "genius" and the New York Times called it "genius"
Star, "very good" review.
But Mr. Wu said he received a lot of "feedback" about the price, complaining that the restaurant was "too expensive ".
Feng en closed on 2017 and reopened. The Nom huadai and Hong Kong-style dim sum tea restaurant used a lower price.
"People still think Chinese food is cheap," Wu said ".
How about he compare hands-
Chinese dumplings sometimes sell "$5 a dollar" and are high
Ravioli's end plate can be sold for "$45 a plate ".
"People will be scared if you want to have a plate of dumplings.
Professor Ray said: "In a way, the entire cultural appropriation debate is also a symptom of the" very obvious, confident, middle and professional class "of the American minority people ".
Twenty years later, thanks to the rise of China's economy and the growing Chinese middle class in American cities, the perception of Chinese food in the United States may be completely different.
Professor Lei said that the 1980-year-old Japanese also went through a similar process because the culture is linked to wealthy immigrant groups or businessmen.
At the same time, the debate on cultural appropriation may continue.
But not everyone thinks this is a bad thing.
"Throughout the conversation, we experienced the pain of growing up, but more importantly, it was surprising to see how the taste of Americans expanded, the market is more receptive to different stories and backgrounds, "Mr Lin said.
"These conversations look frustrating and boring, but you have to have them.
Mr Ricker agreed.
"There's a lot of anxiety, anger and defense out there ,[but]
It is important that people understand the sensitivity of food and culture because they are very powerful things.
I don't think it's comfortable for anyone, but it's definitely necessary.