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!
A Taste of the World: The Global Importance of Food
"
and Dining
# Posted by Ginelle Testa on 8/8/16 7:00 AM in Industry News & Trends, Menu
Management

Lax lunch breaks that average two hours in India, ve course meals with friends or
family in Belarus, loud and celebratory dinner parties in Mexico; food culture across
the globe is fascinating.

Although the inuence looks different from country to country, much can be learned
from cultures around the world. I interviewed a variety of coworkers at Toast
(people fondly known as Toasters) to learn about the social importance of food in
their countries of origin. A few main themes emerged, including:

A focus on bringing people together.

Quality of ingredients.
Effects of globalization.
Quirks of some cultures and individual experiences.

This article is a glimpse into the perspectives of Toasters from different countries on
the sociological signicance of food and dining.

Emphasis on Nurturing and Building

Relationships
What comes to mind when you think of food? One of my rst thoughts is people
gathering. Food is central to celebrations, anniversaries, deaths, weddings,
birthdays, family gatherings, and even lunch time with coworkers. The rst
commonality that I found when speaking with interviewees about food and dining
culture in their countries was that across the board there was a focus on bringing
people together.

Lucy Murrihy (pictured), a Toast Senior Hardware Manager from China, illustrated
how people come together in her culture:
 When people go out to eat, they dont order their own dishes. We order
a bunch of dishes to share and eat with our chopsticks. Sometimes were
sharing dishes with people that weve just met.

I found it fascinating that there is an emphasis on shared meals. Im envisioning

people leaning in, sharing dishes and space, focused on human connection without
regard to how long theyve known one another. It's a true emphasis on fostering
relationships with others.

In Brazil, lunch breaks are a bigger feat than here in the U.S., and its because lunch is
a time for social connection. Camila Dias (pictured), an HR Coordinator from Brazil,
even described schools as setting their time frames around lunch. Middle schools
are out by lunch time and elementary schools dont start until after lunch. She says
that this is so that families can come together for lunch, which is the biggest meal of
the day.

I remember we used to all meet up at grandmothers house for lunch -

aunts, uncles, cousins, my family even during the week.

One of my favorite restaurants with a big focus on family is Maggianos Little Italy in
Boston, MA. Dinners out here with the family were reserved for very special
occasions like a high school graduation. What was so special about dining here
(beyond the amazing authentic dishes), was the family-style dining where we shared
large dishes and servers relled them as we asked. There were no plates catered
towards the individual, but rather the collective whole of the table. We shared, we
laughed, we enjoyed the food and each other's company.

Quality of Ingredients
Caring about what is in our food is increasingly becoming a universal trend. Food
Technology Magazine Editors identied Less Is More as being a top 10 global trend
in 2016. This means a focus on less preservatives and processed ingredients and
more on foods being closer to their natural state. Beyond ingredients, the National
Restaurant Association identied Authentic Ethnic Cuisine as being in the Top 20
Whats Hot Culinary Forecast. Theres a shift back to appreciating meals that have
been passed down from generations.
 What's Hot in 2016 Culinary Forecast

Nadia, a QA Engineer from Belarus discussed how it's rare for people to get take-out
or to dine in restaurants because so much cooking is done at home. Theres a focus
on local ingredients and value lies in knowing whats in the food that is consumed.

"In Belarus, people mostly prepare their meals by cooking themselves. They know
what theyre eating and they cook a lot.

When I asked Theo Gugoiu (pictured), a Software Engineer, what he thought was
unique to Romanian culture, he spoke about his moms energy and time commitment
in preparing food and remembering their roots. Theo said this:

"American/Canadian food is less traditional and more streamlined (they cut

corners). Romanian food seems to take a lot more preparation to make and is
culturally focused.

He talked about how this was also an everyday thing for his family, that it isnt
uncommon for his mom to spend hours preparing a meal.

In the U.S., theres denitely a move towards conscious consumption. One of my

favorite restaurants in Boston is b.good, which claims to make real.food.fast. Every
restaurant I visit b.good, there's a chalkboard noting where certain ingredients are
from - and theyre always local.

Effects of Globalization
Globalization is the breaking down of barriers across the globe, resulting in an
integration of culture, economics, trade, politics, etc. Advances in technology,
transportation, and communication are what inuence globalization. This process of
integration and interaction has certainly had an impact on food and dining culture
around the world.

Shivank Taksali (pictured), a Marketing Intern from Belgium, spoke of food with
roots from all over the world in Antwerp, a city in Belgium. Everything from Falafel
to Chinese food can be enjoyed. He talked about how he appreciated a local Indian
restaurant, as he was originally born in India before moving to Belgium at three
months old. However, Shivank wasn't the only Toaster to notice the variety of food
offered in a different part of the world.

Farhan Quasem, a Training Manager from Bangladesh, had a great deal to say about
the dilution of culture. It used to be that there was a lot of pride in farming local sh;
families would get their daily catch down the street and cook it for dinner. But
Farhan now recognizes food trends which were unheard of when his parents were
growing up, saying:

"Global warming and industrialization is infringing on the earthy element. Even

average Bangladeshis are eating KFC now."

Historically, inhabitants of Bangladesh lived off farms and rivers, but centuries of
colonialism have widened the palate, so much more diversity in food can now be
seen. For example, Farhan explains that when Muslims began to arrive in greater
numbers to Bangladesh, they brought the practice of eating beef.

The impact of globalization can certainly be seen in the U.S. I recently visited Super
88 in Allston, MA (above), which is grocery store that contains any type of Asian
ingredients your heart may desire. There is also a cafeteria adjacent to the store that
has authentic Korean, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese cuisine. I saw
ingredients such as pigs feet and other animal parts that I was not used to seeing in
traditional American grocery stores. I was also excited to see people of all ethnicities
shopping and dining for items most wouldnt consider to be traditional American
fare."

Experiencing Everything the World Has to Offer

My takeaway from talking with Toasters was that although European, Asian, and
South American countries have their own are, there were some real commonalities
when it comes to food and dining. What's truly fascinating is the connections to
these intercultural norms that can be seen all around. So many restaurants I've
known for years have embodied the values appreciated by billions of people, and it's
made me love them even more!
Interested in joining our diverse team? Toast is hiring! We'd love another
Toaster to join us. Visit our careers page here.

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Written by: Ginelle Testa

Ginelle Testa is a wordsmith by trade, developing training
content for Toasts customers and employees. She adores
working at a startup because of the space for innovative
creation. In her spare time you can nd her thrifting new
eclectic attire, crafting delicious meals, adventuring to new
restaurants, and holding her own in a co-ed recreational
street hockey league. She also runs her own blog, check it out!

Website
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