Saidingpuii Sailo
Affiliation: Department of Sociology, Mizoram University, India
Email: [email protected]
Abstract: This article examines how global culinary influences are localized and integrated into everyday food practices in Mizoram, a state in Mizoram. Using qualitative evidence from restaurateurs, cafe owners, food-truck entrepreneurs and household participants, the study explores the processes through which Korean, Burmese, American and Chinese cuisines are adapted to fit Mizo tastes and domestic routines. Findings reveal that while Korean barbeque, Burmese Sanpiau, American-style sandwiches and Chinese momo and chow were initially foreign, they gradually became familiar and desirable through repeated exposure, selective menu design and socialization. Entrepreneurs played a crucial role by balancing authenticity with affordability, sourcing imported ingredients while tailoring flavors to resonate with local preferences for umami, soy-based seasonings and rice-centered meals. Social media and mobility outside the state further accelerated demand, while food trucks and cafes reshaped urban dining habits and introduced a modest nightlife economy. At the household level, outside cuisines entered through cravings, processed lunchbox foods and health-driven dietary adjustments, even as commensality and gendered divisions of food-related labour remained intact. The study argues that cuisine operates as a mediator of cultural globalization, simultaneously broadening palates, creating new spaces and times for eating and reinforcing local identity. By focusing on how external cuisines become “our own” the article highlights the dynamics of glocalization and contributes to broader discussions on food, culture and social change.
Keywords: Cuisine; Globalization; Localization; Taste; Commensality