Food and catering in one woman's creative performance of ethnic and gender identity

Abstract

This is a study of food and catering. In this thesis I focus on the multiple meanings food can play in the life of a caterer - Anna (of Hungarian ethnicity) - and her clients. Catering can be conceived as folkloric performance, for it contains the most important aspects of a folk drama: front, back stage, role distribution, teamwork, etc. Food and catering can also express ethnicity. Foodways provide a whole area of performance in which statements of ethnic identity can be made. In Anna’s case, food is a fluid creation; she creatively brings together European, American, and even Asian taste trends. Her combinations, adaptations and modifications express her flexible cooking style. She also uses food to earn a living and to build a reputation for herself in a small North American city. The power struggle between men and women can be expressed through food, just as in Anna’s case. She also uses food to reinforce family ties among the members of her family.