Tradition, modernity and exoticism: plating up Peruvian in Melbourne

Abstract

This article considers the ‘plating up’ of Peruvian food in two very different Melbourne establishments, each reflective of the changing face of Peruvian cuisine outside of Peru. We argue that despite a move from the suburban periphery of ‘ethnic’ dining to the cosmopolitan centre of high-end cuisine, Peruvian food in Melbourne is subject to exoticization and the demand for ‘authenticity’. In our analysis of the plating up of Peruvian cuisine in two very different establishments, we draw on theories of ethnic dining (in particular Heldke’s profile of the ‘food adventurer’) and of restaurateur practice (Hamada’s study of Japanese restaurants as an ‘exotic genre’) as well as the broader context of expectations of ‘ethnic eating’ (Hage).

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank research assistant Jorge Lopez-Canales for his help with our analysis of Mi Perú D’Carmen. We also express appreciation to Elaine Swan and Rick Flowers for many useful discussions about food multiculturalism and ethnic eating that have helped to shape this article.

Notes

1. See García (2013), Matta (2013) and Wilson (2011). See also Imilan (2015), who considers the performance of national identity through Peruvian food in Chile.