What seemed to be the overlapping concept in both text we had to read for class this week was the association with identity eating in Restaurants has with NEw Yorkers and how taste is more of an established social concept through discourse and societal implications on what foods are exotic and new.

In “Eating Out, Eating American”, it was mentioned how eating ethnic food was a way of “cultural colonialism”. It shows Americans appetite for the new and urge to master the cuisine of other cultures. My question would be whether this is true or not? Do you believe that we this drive for the new is a way of showing dominance as Americans? I see this more as a way to integrate other cultures into our own, almost the exact opposite of showing dominance. If we were to truly show dominance wouldn’t we establish more American cuisines  and ignore other cultural foods?

Both reading mentioned discourse of having a particular importance on taste and what we view as good food. It was interesting to see that the food itself is not the ultimate factor in our judgement on what we find desirable. For the most part social interaction and media have much to do with what as New Yorkers is viewed as good dining. It was even mentioned that the cause of the French culinary hegemony was because of the printing press. To what extent do you think the media and outside sources affect what we view as good dining places or good foods to eat? Especially now with the importance of technology in our society how does that play a role in what we view as new exotic places to try out? How are good dining restaurants determined to be the new cool place to eat at? Who determines this?