Multicultural food events–opportunities for intercultural exchange and risks of stereotypification

Abstract

Events based on food from various cultures are often promoted as multicultural and as opportunities for establishing insights into other cultures. They are also highlighted as springboards for recently immigrated food entrepreneurs and as spaces for labour market integration. However, with such events often having underlying social agendas and sometimes being free of charge, such aims risk being undermined. Generally being linked to minority cultures, food events also risk leading to exotification where individuals are made into symbols of multiculturalism, which consolidates the idea that cultural diversity is an offer for an ethnic majority to enjoy. This paper aims to open a critical debate on multicultural food events by exploring barriers to inclusion and the influence of prejudice. Criticism aimed at misuses of multiculturalism in relation to food events and tourism is used as a theoretical lens for the analysis of two types of food events. The findings illustrate how shallow interpretations of multiculturalism still influence tourism products and reinforce the norms they claim to counteract. Thus, tourism stakeholders need to gather critical insights about the influence of white hegemonies, whilst recognising the effect of their own bias.