Culture on a Plate: The Social Construction of Authenticity in Food Culture

Byrd, Kaitland Marie

Culture on a Plate: The Social Construction of Authenticity in Food Culture

dc.contributor.author	Byrd, Kaitland Marie	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Ryan, John W.	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Brunsma, David L.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Hughes, Michael D.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Cook, Samuel R.	en
dc.contributor.department	Sociology	en
dc.date.accessioned	2017-04-22T08:00:35Z	en
dc.date.available	2017-04-22T08:00:35Z	en
dc.date.issued	2017-04-21	en
dc.description.abstract	This study uses three case studies to show how authenticity is fabricated in food culture. Conceptualizing food as a cultural product makes possible the analysis of social processes through food. In doing so, food becomes a mirror reflecting the happenings within the broader social world. This study examines three empirical cases to sociologically understand food culture: southern barbeque, Top Chef, and ramps and quinoa. Southern barbeque allows the examination of the role of fabricated authenticity within food culture. Top Chef is evidence of how chefs actively produce distinction to legitimate their position and status within the field. Ramps and quinoa are examples of two ingredients that have been exploited from their original context to become elite and mainstream ingredients without concern for the consequences to the people who relied on them in the quest for the exotic. Together these cases provide examples of how research on the fabrication of authenticity and impression management can be expanded to include food.	en
dc.description.abstractgeneral	This study uses three case studies to show how authenticity is created in food culture. Conceptualizing food as a cultural product makes possible the analysis of social processes through food. In doing so, food becomes a mirror reflecting the happenings within the broader social world. This study examines three empirical cases to understand food culture: southern barbeque, <i>Top Chef</i>, and ramps and quinoa. Southern barbeque allows the examination of the role of fabricated authenticity within food culture. <i>Top Chef</i> is evidence of how chefs actively produce distinction to legitimate their position and status within the field. Ramps and quinoa are examples of two ingredients that have been exploited from their original context to become elite and mainstream ingredients without concern for the consequences to the people who relied on them in the quest for the exotic. Together these cases provide examples of how research on the fabrication of authenticity and impression management can be expanded to include food.	en
dc.description.degree	Ph. D.	en
dc.format.medium	ETD	en
dc.identifier.other	vt_gsexam:10799	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77437	en
dc.publisher	Virginia Tech	en
dc.rights	In Copyright	en
dc.rights.uri	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/	en
dc.subject	food culture	en
dc.subject	authenticity	en
dc.subject	globalization	en
dc.subject	distinction	en
dc.subject	impression management	en
dc.title	Culture on a Plate: The Social Construction of Authenticity in Food Culture	en
dc.type	Dissertation	en
thesis.degree.discipline	Sociology	en
thesis.degree.grantor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	en
thesis.degree.level	doctoral	en
thesis.degree.name	Ph. D.	en