I went into this workshop understanding that the premise of it would be that there is no such thing as American food, since America is just a big melting pot of many cultures. Seemed interesting enough, but I left feeling excited and inspired by what the panelists had shared with us.
The panel was made up of three incredible individuals: Sonja who runs ‘League of Kitchens’ in New York; where immigrants teach cooking classes in their homes. Rodriguez who owns Work & Class in Denver; a restaurant serving Latin american and southern cuisine. And Alan who owns Italian and Israeli restaurants throughout New Orleans, despite not even being Italian.
Sonja’s business really interested me, because she has been able to call out the traditions and expertise of those who live in her city and show that what immigrants bring to our country is meaningful. I hope in the future, a business like hers will open in Seattle, because I think we have the market for it and the interest. In light of our current political state, it is more important now than ever to showcase the contributions of immigrants.
Rodriguez really stressed that we should appreciate the simplicity of the roots we have. Her children often ask why she makes homemade tortillas, when she could save time and buy them at the store. It is because she wants to appreciate tradition and the value of a homemade tortilla, so that is why it is worth it to her.
America is a unique place where people enjoy diversity in food and are open to it; we will continue to evolve as a country as time goes on. All the panelists agreed that when it comes to food and cooking, there is no such thing as cultural appropriation. Cooking is all about learning and new experiences, it’s about honoring the culture. Oftentimes a dish with the same name can be made in such a variety of ways and with so many different ingredients, that it will almost be unrecognizable (overall the process is greater than the outcome).
Food is open.