In “Dreams of Pakistani Grill and Vada Pao in Manhattan: Re-inscribing the Immigrant in Metropolitan Discussions of Taste,” Krishnendu Ray asserts that discussions of taste focus on the consumer but not on the producers of the food, who are often immigrants. In his paper, the author introduces factors like the memories and habits and of immigrant entrepreneurs and shows how their ethnic restaurants are the connection between “taste and toil”.

Ray puts forth the theory of ethnic entrepreneurship which includes low capital costs, the importance of cultural capital, social capital, and self-exploitation. These are themes that keep coming up which we have explored in other readings throughout the semester. Do you think these are the reasons immigrants begin business in the city or are there other factors at play?

The author says immigrants may be ignored because people see them as marginal. Their lives are full of poverty and suffering so taste loses its energy and character and is therefore put on the back burner. Do you agree with Ray’s claim? Why do you think immigrants have been ignored in the discussion of taste?