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Bridging the Culture Gap in Georgia
I grew up eating a diverse variety of food, not only due to my biracial upbringing but also thanks to the area where I grew up. Though my parents came down here from New York for employment and a (then) much cheaper cost of living, they also brought me into a vast cultural diaspora and… Read the rest
About me… and the blog
Food is something I’ve taken for granted for a long time. I’ve had access to a wide variety of delicious meals—thanks partially to my bicultural background (Chinese and Italian) and my regular travels to New York to visit family. It wasn’t glamorous… we drove.
I have become more and more aware of the lack of experience many around me have with food. There was no motivation to try anything different, a complete aversion to doing so, or just an unawareness of what was out there. I have always loved showing people new food I thought they’d enjoy, and seeing their eyes light up motivated me even further.
I am also painfully aware of the lack of togetherness we have in Metro Atlanta. Though we are incredibly diverse in every aspect, prejudice still has a tight grasp on the South. I thought food could be a great vessel for understanding everyone better. So many dishes have an extensive history attached to them, and out of so much struggle, colonialism, and poverty, many treasured dishes were born.
Taking the time to appreciate things like this may help us understand each other in more depth—it is easy to villainize what you don’t understand, so getting out there and exploring is the first step.
Also, all the food accounts out there that flatten a community’s food to a “vibe,” “aesthetic,” or a “trend” (that are definitely NOT sponsored) are not helping either.
So, if you’re eating like you’re still on war rations, want to learn more about our area and what’s out there, or just want to make fun of trendy, overpriced restaurants, come along for the ride.
