At what point does culinary cultural appropriation go to far?

When it doesn’t taste any good. Otherwise, all’s fair in love and cooking.

When the Germans try to pass off a “keto-friendly” Wienerschnitzel as a health food.

At no point.

I think the problem with that food is that it’s terrible, not that it’s “cultural appropriation”. Cook whatever food you want. Just don’t think that fusing together two foods from different cuisines automatically makes it interesting or good (it doesn’t).

When it makes the news for the wrong reasons.

I don’t even understand the concept of “cultural appropriation” when it comes to food. (I actually have trouble with it in all applications.) Food is one of the best international ambassadors for different cultures. Where does this idea lead? You have to be Mexican to eat at a Mexican restaurant? You have to throw away Julia Child’s magnum opus because you have no right to master French cooking if you’re not French? You have to know the origin of ketchup and qualify culturally before you can put it on your burger?

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we actually champion fusion cuisine. Take a look at Sushirito or Senor Sisig which started as a Filipino American food truck.

Cultural appropriation is confusing to me to begin with, I’ve said it on other Q’s. I grew up with my grandparents and aunt traveling and bringing home jewelry and clothing from other places and we loved the different styles and fabrics and wore them appreciating the other cultures.

As far as food, fusion is an accepted culinary style and also is a natural evolution of food preparation as people migrate around the world and travel. Most “ethnic” food in America has been Americanized to fit the taste buds of Americans. For instance, my Mexican husband would never put cheese on a pork (carnitas) taco, but I’m guessing plenty of Americans would. I hear people from the UK make fun of how Americans put cheese on everything.

Sometimes populations that move to new regions or countries can’t find the same ingredients and they improvise, and so that changes the dish over time.

Vietnamese and French is a common fusion.

My aunt used to love to go to a Chinese Cuban restaurant as a child and order pork fried rice and plantains.

Some flavors just don’t go together. Nori and mac and cheese, a hard no from me.

People can put together whatever they want.

I live near Los Angeles, a wonderful culinary hotbed of fusion-cuisine. I love it.

If you live in the United States, it is pretty much inevitable that you will be eating dishes that were modified or adapted from food and dishes that either originated elsewhere, or have simply been transformed due to what food is abundant in your area, or by what groups of people have happened to come through, or settle in any given area.

People take their food traditions with them, and add to them when they get to a new place.