Using Food As Cultural Connection And Reflection
Illustration by Will Maynard
Martin’s mission is fighting invisibility. That means that raising many voices — and sharing one’s truth — is critical. We’re an agency filled with diverse perspectives and experiences, and we believe in providing platforms for our people to tell their stories. In this post, Matthew dives into the topic of discovering intersectionality and connection via food.
If I had a dollar every time an elder asked about the contents of my stomach (or lack thereof), I’d have enough cash to throw down big money in a high-stakes UNO game against Rihanna, Barack Obama and LeBron James, “Casino Royale” style. (For the record, I’d win. Sure, Barack was the leader of the free world and all, but can he drop three reverses followed by a draw four to end a game? Doubt it.)
Back to elders and food: Somewhere in the multiverse, 8-year-old me is in my grandmother’s kitchen while she’s making bread and watching infomercials. I’m hoping the bread’s done before everyone shows up to dinner so I can grab a few extra rolls before the evening turns into a Royal Rumble. (I’m not joking; her bread was like that.)
Cooking and asking “Have you eaten?” was one way my family showed they cared. This is coming from the eyes of someone living the Black experience, but this truth isn’t isolated to just my background: Food is a love language across multiple cultures throughout the world. Whether it’s the sound of sisig sizzling in the kitchen or the smell of oxtails braising, food connects all of us. It’s a universal dialect that highlights the creativity and viewpoints of the people on this little blue marble.
Food is also deeply rooted in cultural traditions. One of life’s few guarantees is that we all have a finite amount of time; food will carry on even though we cannot. You know the scene: an elder passing down their “world famous” recipe to the next generation. As cheesy as those depictions are, there’s something magical about them. It’s a rite of passage, a handing off of the torch, a releasing of traditions.
And, for many cultures, rooting things in tradition is an effort to honor those that came before us and remind future generations of their ancestors. It’s a bit of a mind-blower to ponder. Knowing that the bowl of Soup Joumou you’re eating was made with the same recipe passed down from one family member to the next creates an expansive bond tying generations and generations together.
Simply put, food is an integral part of talking about culture. So when the folks at Martin’s AAPI employee affinity group, One East, and Black Employee Network, BEN Martin, teamed up to celebrate this year’s overlap of Lunar New Year and Black History Month, we decided that’s what we’d focus on.
The result is the Binge-O card, a list of 24 dishes that are important to the Black, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across the globe. Not only does it represent the importance food plays in each culture, it’s a reflection of the intersectionality that exists between both communities. Here at Martin, we’ve taken this moment to reflect on the mutuality food creates among different walks of life. The dishes may taste and look different, but the feelings are still the same.
Food As Reflection
Food is also a reflection of the environment surrounding a specific culture. Let’s do an exercise. Grab your Binge-O card and find a sheet of paper, open your notes app, record a voice memo — whatever you use to brainstorm.
I’ll name a food, then you take 45 seconds to write down all the ways that dish can be prepared. After the timer goes off, Google the ways other countries prepare the food.
Got it?
Yeah, you got it. Let’s get started.
Dish 1: Chicken
…And go!
Pencils down!
What did you come up with? How does your list compare to dishes prepared in, say, Honduras? Or Ethiopia?
Let’s do this one more time.
Dish 2: Bread
Go!
Again, what did you come up with? Find a map, close your eyes, and point. Google whichever country your finger lands on and figure out how it prepares bread. (Yes, you could also look at your Binge-O card, too.)
Why did we do that exercise? It’s a reminder — yes, food is nourishment and fuel. But it’s also the gateway to our souls and our culture. It’s a canvas for expression and a reflection of a community. It’s a sense of security and a unifier. It’s an opportunity to hear the hearts of others. It’s a grandmother passing her love to the newest branch of her family tree and a taste of home when you’re far away.
Simply put, food is everything.
More To Food Than Eating
My grandparents have always emphasized the importance of family and being around each other, and food was the centerpiece of that. This is especially true of our three annual family gatherings at their house:
Easter: We meet up and have egg hunts for the kids, young adults, and seniors. Do you think Usain Bolt is fast? Tell a group of 50+ year olds that there are lottery tickets hidden outside. It should be an Olympic sport. The Easter entrée of choice? Smoked ham, not to be confused with country ham. (Big difference!)
Summer cookout: This is typically held somewhere around the Fourth of July. It usually starts around 3 p.m., but for those of us that have been on this ride, we know the food won’t be ready until 4 p.m. Entrées of choice: the traditional burgers, hot dogs and chicken. The heavy hitter, though, is the potato salad. Many have tried to replicate it, but few have succeeded. That responsibility is only given to the greats. (Your jerseys will forever be in the rafters, Aunt Alice and Aunt Sharon.)
Christmas: The best time of the year. Watching 65+ people try to squeeze into grandma’s house is something to behold, but we make it work. The smells — my goodness, the smells! The mac and cheese, greens, sweet potato pies, turkey, cakes and the one person who still hasn’t figured out that he’s wearing way too much cologne. (If you can smell yourself, then it’s too much.) A rule of thumb: You can arrive late, but don’t expect to eat. You have a watch just like the rest of us. Entrées of choice: every good thing under the sun — I mentioned mac and cheese, right??
There’s more to food than gathering to eat it, though. Preparation is 90% of the battle.
Seeing the smile of a loved one as they present their dish warms the spirit. The meal itself is great, but the time and effort it took to create are the true gifts. All the elements that go into making food — love, kindness, selflessness, care, patience — are things the world could use a little more of, no matter which culture we come from.
