The Food is Political

One of the hottest food trends now is actually just talking about food trends at all, displaying poke or soup dumplings as if they’re Gucci slides or Vetements hoodies. And thanks to globalization, most urban communities have multiple spaces that offer international culinary experiences that replicate the cultures they are inspired by.

In New York, young people are enthusiastically adding to their Snapchat stories, unleashing their inner synesthesia with every bite to recount it in a Yelp review later. In London, the restaurant-slash-bar chain Dirty Bones even provides a free Instagram “kit” complete with a clip-on wide-angle lens, tripod and LED camera light to ensure each visitor can capture FOMO-inducing double tap-worthy images.

Paradoxically, many consumers today have a strong desire to belong to something bigger than themselves and young people are leaning on education and knowledge to provide them that sense of empowerment. Just look at the teenage demographic: kids today have more in common with their global peers than they do with adults in their own country. Educating yourself on another cultural experience is literally just a Google search away and the power of knowledge is a new kind of social currency.

There are now more tools to learn and empower yourself — be it newsletters, free online courses, podcasts and blogs. More of these tools are devoted to educating people on cultures of the world, giving people access to communities that seemed distant in a bygone era without it being an invitation to exploit that culture.

Perhaps to capture loyalty among patrons, food establishments need to offer something much more than cha cha matcha teas, “toxin-clearing” turmeric bowls, or unicorn ube ice cream (is that a thing?) and serve food that provides patrons with real insight into a different culture. That might mean empowering certain demographics, ensuring that people of that particular culture is represented in your establishment as chefs, servers or even interior designers.

Consumers today want brands that make the world a better place and food is an immediate space where business goals can intersect with consumer goals. Why not give them what they want?

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