“As I let my tongue hit the first slice of the pizza, I felt as if the entire Italy was out to get me. It was genuine, rightful, real, and….and…shoot, what’s that word?”
One second. *beepity-boppity-boop*
“Authentic”
/ɔːˈθɛntɪk/
adjective
1. of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine.
“the letter is now accepted as an authentic document”
Well, that doesn’t help us at all. What the hell does ‘genuine’ mean in this day and age? Especially after we found 59 ways to put butter in our street food, 15 ways to ruin Maggi and 62 methods to screw up Pani Puri.
But here is what I have come to understand. Having something just the way it is supposed to be is a bit too restricting for the 2025, non-binary, free-flowing, modern world. A lack of originality is what is so looked down upon. Before another AI feature/software arises, let’s talk about authenticity while it still exists, and in food it has existed for a long time but it is only now that I have come to understand that people hate it.
*why do I even write these when I can have AI do it for me?………. Right, authenticity.*
Even now as I write this, I am confused between the words ‘traditional’ and ‘authentic’. One just means ‘ the way it has been done for a long time’ and the other in my opinion just means ‘traditional’. Seriously, someone tell me the difference between these two words when it comes to food.
Authenticity revolves around culture and sub-culture. Within those plots exist evolution and bastardization of cultures and they create experiences which are considered authentic. Hmm….I feel like I have lost you and lost myself while explaining this. Don’t worry, I’ll bring us back.
Picture a curry. Chicken Tikka Masala, to be specific. Is it a curry? Yes.
Is it a traditional one? It’s UK’s national dish. So, no.
But, is it authentic?……..depends on where you have it-BINGO!!! If you have a Chicken Tikka Masala in UK, it is traditional and perhaps authentic depending on which restaurant prepares it according to their own cultural appropriation standards. But the same curry compared to curries in India, doesn’t do justice. Context is important. More accurately, geographical context.
In the world of food, this matters a lot. Where can you get the best Italian pasta? delectable French macarons? tantalizing Indian curries? The answer lies in the question. Now, the question is can someone outside of India make the most ‘authentic’ curry?
I know it’s hard to imagine. But, let’s give it a try for 5 seconds……(*1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi, 4-). Well, what do I know? I have never stepped out of the motherland.
But I know one thing. I still don’t know the difference between an authentic dish and a traditional dish. I know what are traditional dishes. It only means one thing. Cooking foods which have been cooked for a long time that it becomes a practice. Authentic food means food which belongs to a particular region, community, culture and is ‘owned’ by them. An authentic version of Chicken Tikka Masala exists even though it might be the most non-traditional Indian curry to be made. Making it the way an authentic Indian curry is made is not traditional. (At least, for the UK)
By that logic, around 77% (never trust any stats in this blog) of the world cuisine is an authentic hoax. Because the origins for many ingredients and cuisines have been formed by years and years of invasion, colonization and trade practice. In the Indian sub-continent, many of our ingredients like tomatoes, potatoes, chilies, asafetida, tea, coffee, and to list a few are not authentic to India. They came through trade many years back that they are basically “Indians in other countries”, i.e., deep-rooted in the culture.
But here’s my point. This overratedness-ness of authenticity in cuisine stems only in cultures where the cuisine has had its fair share of exposure across the world. Or, it has been bastardized so much that people aren’t even aware of the original thing. If the hero has not pushed his limits, how can he re-invent himself? Cuisine needs character development like all of us.
So, what’s the bottom line? Should we give authenticity less importance than it actually has? Should we just all eat our own food and stop peeking into others plate? Should we not visit other cultures? Should I let AI write my articles?
Let food do its thing. Otherwise, it gets too boring. Only thing sensible to do is to just sit, observe, and eat everything that you find delicious and not worry too much about its origins, traditions, and…..and……shoot, what’s the word again?
Authentic.
3 thoughts on “What the hell is “Authentic” food?”
Funnily academic and quirkily authentic!!
I had fun reading it, and BINGO! I’m happy to see you posting the articles again…
Me too.