Foodies of Color: Authenticity and Exoticism in Omnivorous Food Culture

Omnivorous cultural theory highlights the persistence of inequalities within gourmet food culture despite its increasing democratization, arguing that foods remain symbols of distinction through their framing as ‘authentic’ and ‘exotic’. Where these two frames have been shown to encompass problemati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cultural sociology 2017-06, Vol.11 (2), p.217-233
Main Author: Oleschuk, Merin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Authenticity
Cultural capital
Cultural differences
Culture
Democracy
Democratization
Exoticism
Racial inequality
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Summary:Omnivorous cultural theory highlights the persistence of inequalities within gourmet food culture despite its increasing democratization, arguing that foods remain symbols of distinction through their framing as ‘authentic’ and ‘exotic’. Where these two frames have been shown to encompass problematic racial connotations, questions arise over how racial inequalities manifest in foodie discourse. Drawing from interviews with foodies of color living in Toronto, Canada, this article examines how these inequalities are reproduced, adjusted and resisted by people of color. It asks: how do foodies of color interpret and deploy dominant foodie frames of authenticity and exoticism? Analysis reveals each frame’s potential both to encourage cross-cultural understanding and essentialize or exacerbate ethno-cultural difference. Participants’ ambivalent relationship with foodie discourse (i.e. deploying it alongside critiquing it) highlights how cultural capital works alongside ethno-racial inequalities, and reveals the racial tensions remaining within foodies’ attempts to reconcile democracy and distinction.
ISSN:1749-9755
1749-9763
DOI:10.1177/1749975516668709