Exploring relationships between globalisation and the role of food as a marker of cultural identity with Indian restaurateurs in Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

Food offers insight into the 'way of life' for an individual, a family, a local community, a region and even a nation. This study is centred on such an insight. It is situated in Wellington, a city that has undergone a significant recent image transformation since the early 1990s. Food has played a key role in facilitating this transformation. The number of restaurants, bars and cafés in Wellington City has grown significantly, including the growth of ethnic restaurants. The study explores the growth of ethnic restaurants in Wellington, focusing on a case study of the representation and evolution of Indian restaurants in Wellington. This case study was framed by a post-structuralist/postcolonial perspective, which recognised Wellington as a space of colonialism. This case study of ten Indian restaurants in Wellington City explored the background of the restaurateurs, the type of cuisine offered in the restaurant, the restaurant décor and the restaurateurs' observations of the behaviour of consumers. The purpose of this was twofold. Firstly, to explore how the representation and evolution of Indian restaurants reflects and expresses cultural globalisation processes ('the global'). Secondly, to explore the Indian restaurateurs' individual reflections and decision-making associated with these representations ('the local'). This exploration sought understanding into each restaurateur's cultural identity and how this was reflected through their restaurant and cuisine. In turn, this sought greater understanding as to what role food can play as a marker of cultural identity in a globalised world. The case study illustrated a complex mosaic of identities of the restaurateurs; multiple identities, hybrid identities and fragmented identities, all of which underwent their own unique process of negotiation and construction within the spaces of colonialism in Wellington City. However, this complexity is largely concealed by the tendency for restaurateurs to offer a homogeneous range of predominantly North Indian cuisine. This cuisine is largely dictated by perceived Wellington consumer demand and reflects the Anglo-Indianisation of cuisine, stemming from the historical impact on cuisine by the British in colonial India. This expression of multiple identities into one 'type' of cuisine reflects the continuing impact of British colonialism in New Zealand on the expression of Indian identity here. Although the British no longer physically rule in India, the tentacles of their impact, reaching into the preferences of Wellington consumers, mean that largely Pakeha Wellington consumers still 'rule' Indian cuisine. This denotes that 'postcolonial Wellington' is still embedded within structures and values instilled by its colonisers. However, within these spaces of colonialism remain opportunities for Indian restaurateurs to present Indian cuisine reflective of their own identities. This was the case for a small number of restaurants. The dishes within these restaurants reflected the diversity of the regional cuisines in India. In addition, some restaurateurs communicated intrinsic values such as religious beliefs and family influences through their food. The study highlighted the enormous complexity in relating 'global' theories to 'local' actualities. Although the development of Indian restaurants reflected global trends and aspects of globalisation theories, these theories failed to explore the agencies of the restaurateurs themselves. The study also highlighted the multiple layering of meaning in food. One 'Butter Chicken' marks the historical imbalance of power relations between India and Britain, the distinctive cultures of Northern India, the incorporation of ingredients from all over the world, and the social processes of creating the dish from the Tandoor oven to the restaurant table.