I've been questioning authenticity as well. Who gets the audacity of saying that this or that food is authentic? When you mentioned gentrification, I guess, sometimes the word "authentic" is used to reclaim BIPOC identity from white chefs who seem to be the trojan horse of any food that they'd consider exotic. But, when it comes to diaspora folks, judging how authentic the food is by the ones who made it or the ingredients, sounds not fair as diaspora have the tendency to cook using available ingredients in where they live. I talked about it in my Instagram post a month ago https://www.instagram.com/p/CQwR-kjAfDd/ . I'm glad you bring it up!
Authenticity is indeed a fascinating and complex topic. I believe that the core of authenticity is a combination of the original flavors, textures, and cultural stories of a dish. So, regardless who makes dish, if it tastes subjectively as good and it honors the original, then I would call it authentic. However, I don't think staying true to ingredients is a requirement for authenticity. Many cooks strive to cook with local seasonal ingredients, which may not be exactly those of a dish or recipe from abroad. So we improvise and do our best to honor the original dishes. Which is that immigrants have been doing for centuries when they bring their foods to a new country.
I've been questioning authenticity as well. Who gets the audacity of saying that this or that food is authentic? When you mentioned gentrification, I guess, sometimes the word "authentic" is used to reclaim BIPOC identity from white chefs who seem to be the trojan horse of any food that they'd consider exotic. But, when it comes to diaspora folks, judging how authentic the food is by the ones who made it or the ingredients, sounds not fair as diaspora have the tendency to cook using available ingredients in where they live. I talked about it in my Instagram post a month ago https://www.instagram.com/p/CQwR-kjAfDd/ . I'm glad you bring it up!
Prinka thank you for sharing your comment! Loved your post on IG :)
I had never thought about authenticity before reading this, but you made some great points! And also happy birthday!!! 😊
Thank you! :)
Authenticity is indeed a fascinating and complex topic. I believe that the core of authenticity is a combination of the original flavors, textures, and cultural stories of a dish. So, regardless who makes dish, if it tastes subjectively as good and it honors the original, then I would call it authentic. However, I don't think staying true to ingredients is a requirement for authenticity. Many cooks strive to cook with local seasonal ingredients, which may not be exactly those of a dish or recipe from abroad. So we improvise and do our best to honor the original dishes. Which is that immigrants have been doing for centuries when they bring their foods to a new country.
I completely agree! Honoring the original dish any way you can is the best way :)