(no subject)

[msmemory_archive]

I think if I were traveling in a foreign country on business, bad local imitations of my native cuisine would not be what I'd want for lunch: I would want excellent examples of the local foods.

So there is leftover Chinese food in the staff kitchen since we have a group here from a Chinese company. It's not "bad Chinese", it's reasonably decent American neighborhood Chinese food - but I am not from China.

Then again, I do remember being in Paris with other American high school students, who were desperate for McDonald's.

Comments

[tpau]

well, Mcd's is the same everywhere, so you canat least assume they wanted something familiar. id think the chinese food would be offensive...

[oakleaf-mirror.livejournal.com]

On the other side of it, I used to work with someone who had visited China many years ago, when it was less open than now. The people shepherding them about kept serving them what they thought 'American' food was like, and it was apparently quite wretched. He finally got through to them by telling them he wanted to eat the same thing they did.

I once read a travel guide that gave a rundown on some of the restaurants in a foreign city, and concluded with something along the lines of "And for those wanting American food, McDonalds and Pizza Hut can be found..."

[mermaidlady]

On our first night in Istanbul, new_man and I were wandering Taxim Square, looking for a place to have dinner. We were accosted by an aggressive shoe shine kid, who, after the shine, offered to take us to a very good restaurant. He said something like "peesaoot", but my Turkish is terrible. He led us to... you guessed it... a Pizza Hut.

We laughed a lot and had dinner at the kebab place next door.

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

it might be construed as hospitality...

"thanks for coming and visiting us! in honor of this, we serve food from YOUR home!" kinda like the band playing the norwegian national anthem when the norwegian head of state visits....

[herooftheage.livejournal.com]

When I was a younget child, I used to go to this big Chinese New Year's dinner hosted by my Chinese teacher where I was the only Anglo. What you get in American restaurants is reminiscent of what was served there. Better ingredients, much finer presentation, dishes that were intended to gently lead you through the meal.

Now these were folks who were Mandarin class people transplanted to America, and it wasn't everyday cooking for them, but it is the data point I have to offer.

My boyfriend's father has to travel a lot on business

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

I can't remember if it's when he's dealing with the clients from Korea, India or both... but whenever he's over there... they want to go out to eat at restaurants that serve local food. Whenever they're over here, they want to go to restaurants serving food that's like the local food where they come from. He says he wishes he could just have something he considers familiar.

[lakshmi-amman.livejournal.com]

I had to have some American food on my trip to India. The spices, the lack of animal protein and the general unfamiliarity of the food just destroyed me. I eventually threated a cow in order to be taken to a KFC (and I hate KFCs in the U.S.) And we worked out that "English food" means "boil it and put butter on it" to Indians. :)

I could actually see someone being curious enough to request their own food in another country - just to see what the interpretation would be... But... er... I probably ask my guests, and not asssume they want a bad imitation of their own cuisine.

[rickthefightguy.livejournal.com]

Why do we assume that local ethnic food is 'a bad imitation of the food served in the country that hosts the ethnicity'? You might as easily assume that it is a local variation on ethnic cooking concepts. So, as opposed to the burritos a la Mexico City, you might like to try burritos A La Chicago. Different food, not 'bad imitation of Mexican Food'.

[dagonell.livejournal.com]

"I think if I were traveling in a foreign country on business, bad local imitations of my native cuisine would not be what I'd want for lunch: I would want excellent examples of the local foods."

Rent the film, "Gung Ho". A Japanese company buys out an American auto plant and Michael Keaton has to iron out the culture differences. At one point he has the company chef prepare Japanese blowfish for the Japanese CEOs. Blowfish is properly prepared only by a Master chef who leaves just enough poison in the dish to tingle your lips. When the CEOs realize they're expected to eat this meal prepared by an American, they freak out ... all in Japanese with subtitles! It's a hysterical movie!

Data point:
At Pennsic, Lord Clement of Morocco offered some Aussies cans of Foster with the remark "Have a taste of home." The Aussies replied, "You think *this* is Australian beer??? Come back to our camp, mate. We have some brew for you to try."