Regional delicacies often reveal the meaning of family and tradition, or reveal a glimpse of an almost forgotten scar from hard times, the skeletons of former rulers, empires or wars. Recipes are often guarded as if they were sacred secrets, whispered from grandmother to granddaughter, father to son. Skills, methods, recipes and ingredients passed down from generation to generation, connecting families and communities and preserving cultural heritage.
Across continents, from the teeming street markets of Bangkok, the polluted, pathless streets of Manila, to the tiny bistros of Paris or the old Sichuan restaurants of Chengdu, local cuisine offers insights into what people value, celebrate, revere and love.
For me as a traveler, sampling local cuisine is a way to connect with a place on a deeper level, an act of immersion when I don’t speak the language. It can transform my trip and create memories not just through sights, experiences and sounds, but through the taste that anchors those memories and creates a deeper connection to the place or the moment. When you return home, those culinary experiences become stories to tell, experiences to share, souvenirs whose history lasts so much longer than a cheap trinket, postcard or fridge magnet.
I am most grateful to the locals who welcome us when we travel. For them, food is an intimate source of identity and pride, and something to be respected, valued and appreciated. In a world that feels very divided, cruel and unjust, sharing a meal together is a powerful emotional connection and a reflection of our shared human experience.
Food, cuisine and connecting through food is a celebration of diversity. Although we speak different languages, have different customs and often live in completely different places and come from different cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, we all share a love of food and family, we all long for belonging and community and we all strive to feel connected to who we are, where we come from and to those who came before us.
So next time you go on a trip – short, long, near or far – try something new. Enjoy the adventure of discovering new flavors, new dishes and cuisines you’ve never tried before. Challenge yourself to discover dishes you’ve never heard of, find a local guide and pack your suitcase full of non-perishable foods.
