What Food Has Taught Me About Culture

Some of my favorite memories from growing up internationally aren't tied to famous places or big trips…they're tied to dinner tables.

I've realized over the years that food is usually one of the first ways people invite you into their culture. Before you understand the language, before you know the traditions or history, someone will hand you a plate and say, "You have to try this." And somehow, that's enough to start a conversation.

I can still picture sitting in a friend's backyard one evening, balancing a paper plate on my knees while someone carefully explained why a certain dish was always made for family celebrations. I don't even remember every ingredient, but I remember the smell of spices drifting through the air, everyone talking over each other, and the feeling that I was being welcomed into something that had been passed down for generations. Another time, I remember helping fold dumplings around a kitchen table. Mine looked terrible compared to everyone else's, but nobody seemed to care. The point wasn't getting them perfect, it was making them together. Those moments have stayed with me a lot longer than I expected.

When people think about food, they usually think about taste first. I do too. But I've started to think it's really about stories. Almost every traditional dish has one. Sometimes it's tied to a holiday. Sometimes it's connected to a place, a family recipe, or ingredients that people had available hundreds of years ago. Even dishes that seem simple often have a history behind them that says something about where they came from and the people who made them.

I've also noticed that every culture seems to have its own little rituals around eating. In some homes, everyone serves themselves from the middle of the table. In others, the oldest family member starts first. Sometimes meals are loud and everyone talks at once. Other times they're slower and more relaxed. None of those ways are right or wrong, they're just different, and that's what makes them interesting.

Growing up around so many different cultures has made me realize that trying new food isn't really about being adventurous. It's about saying yes. Yes to learning something new, to listening, to letting someone share a small piece of their life with you.

I don't remember every dish I've ever tried. But I remember the people I shared them with. And looking back, I think that's what made those meals memorable in the first place.