SAMANTHA LUNDIN WRITES – Sri Lanka declared bankruptcy in July and its people are starving, as the nation state continues to suffer under its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. Sri Lanka defaulted more than $51 billion dollars a few months after the Russian…
Full Article SRI LANKA: A HUNGER FOR SOLUTIONS TO THE FOOD CRISIS
NELLY CARRILLO WRITES — Food insecurity – as defined by the FAO, the inability to access nutritional and safe food that is essential to maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle-is nothing new to the Philippines. In a 2016 report, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that at least…
Full Article THE PHILIPPINES: HUNGRY FOR POLICIES THAT ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY
MELANIE MARGARYAN WRITES — Asian countries take great pride in their cultures. One of the most prominent aspects of any Asian culture is food. Nations such as Japan, China, and India have authentic foods that are fairly familiar, but when it comes to Armenia, it’s difficult to come up with…
Full Article ARMENIA: NATIVE RECIPES ARE A WELL – KEPT SECRET ON THE GLOBAL SCENE
ALEX DASHWOOD WRITES — There exists a myth in the United States that the addition of monosodium glutamate (MSG) to food, which is predominantly used in Chinese cuisine, is a health risk causing negative side effects. Some consumers of it purport to experience symptoms such as dizziness and palpitations after…
Full Article CHINA: HOW THE RACIALLY-CHARGED MYTH OF MSG HAS TAINTED AMERICANS’ PERCEPTION OF CHINESE CUISINE
MILES WHITTINGHAM WRITES — Japanese cuisine is among the most popular in the world. But the Japanese fish market has been hit especially hard among the multitude of things affected by COVID-19. The most extensive wholesale fish trade located in Tokyo, Toyosu, has seen its sales halved in recent months.…
Full Article JAPAN: SOMETHING’S FISHY IN THE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT BUSINESS
CRISTINA PEDLER WRITES — Culinary culture is never written in stone… it has to be taken with a grain of salt. Or Ssamjang. The term Asian fusion takes on different meanings in the culinary community. To the OGs, it is a blasphemous meddling with traditional ingredients, methods and flavors. To…
Full Article ASIAN FUSION: MELTING POT OR CULINARY CANCEL CULTURE?
LILLY WEBER WRITES — With highly influential individuals like President Donald Trump referring to the coronavirus using the phrase the “Chinese Virus”, it’s not entirely surprising that Asian Americans are being negatively affected by such rhetoric. While the entirety of the restaurant industry has been hit hard by the shelter-in-orders…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS COLLATERAL DAMAGE: THE LONELY CHINESE RESTAURANT
DANIEL ZAND WRITES- Thailand is known for its delicious street foods at cheap prices, yet this is changing. Food vendors have been forced to relocate to designated areas due to a government ban attempting to“return order to the capital city”. The ban was established shortly after the Thai military coup…
Full Article THAILAND: MILITARY GOVERNMENT COOKS UP A DUMB COLD DISH
YI NING WONG WRITES — The month of May marks Asian Pacific Heritage Month. Last week, I had the opportunity to chat with team members from a recent animation about street foods, culture, and family in Hong Kong: Front of the House. Director Sum Yi “Ashley” Ma and Sound Director…
Full Article Film: An Ode to Hong Kong Street Food and Family
ALEXANDRA RADILALEH WRITES– Since my return to Los Angeles from my study abroad in South Korea last summer, I’ve been eager to taste delicious and healthy foods like gaya milmyeon, chimaek and ganjang gejang once more. On my own, I did find some locations that almost replicated those intricate flavors,…
Full Article Los Angeles: ASIAN RESTAURANTS GET LITTLE HELP FROM YELP
NICOLE ALAVERDIAN WRITES– As the world scrambles to adopt more environmentally friendly practices, there is one overlooked culprit of climate change: animal agriculture. Despite a recent wave of vegetarian, vegan and plant-based food offerings in the Asian-Pacific, a study by the Food Service Consultants Society predicts that in Asia “the…
Full Article ENVIRONMENT: Is it possible for the Asian Pacific to mend its carnivorous appetite?
MICHELLE DOR WRITES — Airline food is notorious for not living up to what you might expect with a costly plane ticket. It’s probably safe to say that many travelers dread but endure eating it, given the limits to catering options 35,000 feet above ground. In addition, our taste buds…
Full Article Malaysia: Air Asia takes Plane Food to Restaurants
SARAH ALMUAWAD WRITES– Why does Kuwait, a small country in Western Asia, want to become the world’s food capital? Maybe, to boost tourism? To decrease the country’s reliance on oil? To take advantage of lower oil prices over the past three years?? To compete globally? To expand the economy? All…
Full Article FOOD: KUWAIT FOOD VISION 2030?