From Kitchen to Classroom: The Art of Cooking and the Discipline of Food Studies

 

My earliest memory of cooking independently is from 2004, when I moved out of the MCC campus in Tambaram to a one-bedroom house near Camp Road. Besides the gastronomic freedom I sought from hostel food, it also prompted me to experiment with cooking. Without any technological support available today, I would call my mother for tips on making sambar and chicken curry. Cooking became an act of self-discovery. It helped me discover the amateur cook in me —a life skill I learned out of sheer necessity — that gave me tremendous confidence and courage. These lessons proved helpful when I left India for Libya in 2006 and later in Tumkur, where my colleagues appreciated my chicken saaru. Different regions demanded different approaches to cooking. For example, in Libya, rice was rare, so we had to plan our meals with long bread, olive products, tinned food, and vegetables. I got married while working in Oman, and the kitchen became a place to visit to check the salt and spiciness of the dishes. Even today, when time allows, I enjoy dabbling in cooking. Cooking has taught me one of the most valuable lessons: don’t wait for anyone else to cook for you; if you are skilled, do it for your own satisfaction. There is excellent fulfilment in preparing our own meals. We feel in control and find happiness throughout the process. 

Cooking has also taught me to maintain order and discipline in the kitchen. It’s about knowing where to keep condiments and utensils. There are standard procedures to follow, and the results depend on them. I’ve heard that cleaning and washing dishes are the most challenging parts of cooking. Somehow, I find catharsis in the act of slowly cleaning the dishes—first with plain water, then with soap, and finally with lukewarm water. The last step is to dry the utensils with a cloth and store them on shelves. It is indeed a mindful activity. For me, washing dishes is also a time to reflect on the taste of the food and the cooking process involved. Today, cooking has become a trend, and many celebrity chefs have redefined it. YouTube videos have become a reliable resource for mastering cooking. Excessive interest in cooking has also led to food pornography, which is defined as the glorification or sensual presentation of food, especially in advertisements, social media, or cookbooks, where food is made to look irresistibly delicious. In Food Studies - A Hands-On Guide, Willa Zhen discusses the “foodie” culture and the pervasive food media in today’s world. She states that food functions as a significant form of cultural capital, representing knowledge, behaviours, and skills that demonstrate a person's cultural competence and social position. 

Food studies, as an academic subject, is connected to anthropology. Franz Boas, the founding father of American anthropology, carefully documented how the Kwakiutl Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest harvested and handled salmon. Food studies involve extensive ethnographic fieldwork. Food is one of the most powerful carriers of memory — sensory, emotional, and cultural. Food Studies examine what and how we eat. Memory Studies explore what and how we remember. Joan Reardon, the noted American food writer, culinary historian, and editor, explains that food is a symbol, a product, a ritual object, an identity badge, an object of guilt, a political tool, and even a form of currency. Routledge International Handbook of Food Studies, edited by Ken Albala, is a good starting point for anyone interested in food studies.