FOOD CULTURES
Out Of The Borders
What’s behind two steaks on a grill? How culture and gendered marketing influence our relationship with food by Maxime Ricaud
What do Turkish and Greek cuisine have in common? Is Baklava Greek or Turkish? And rolled grape leaves? Which country made the first olive oil? What about phyllo pastry? One thing is sure, these two countries, situated side by side in the Mediterranean sea, have both been heavily influenced by their Mediterranean culture, which comes out in their culinary traditions. They share a similar climate, the prosperous Mediterranean sun, and many of the same landscapes. While their histories differ, they both have a shared but unique heritage, which is beautifully and subtly reflected in their cuisine. A
few months ago, the feminist ecologist MP Sandrine Rousseau challenged the entire French media and political sphere with a single sentence. “We must change our mentality so that eating a steak cooked on a barbecue is no longer a symbol of virility”. The phrase may amuse some. Still, others have perceived it as a diatribe symbol of this “political righteousness” that would go too far. As MP Eric Ciotti criticized on twitter, “When the grotesque reaches its climax... Stop these delusions!”
academics whose works are best known. One of Sandrine Rousseau’s defenders was French journalist Nora Bouazzouni, who, in 2021, wrote Steaksisme (Steaksism). Her script states the link between genders and various modes of eating. Based on the government report INCA3 there is a disparity between masculine and feminine diets.
Women generally prefer yogurts and cottage
cheeses, compotes, poultry and soups. As for men, they are rather fond of cheeses, meats, Later Rousseau will return to her words de- cold cuts, potatoes and dessert creams nouncing “a system that sends us into the wall” (INCA3 ANSES) and a sense of identity concerning meat consumption (a feeling more than proven because Usually women and men do not have the same of the many photos of men doing their barbe- diet in general. In our shared culture, meat, cue that she would have received following her specifically red meat, is associated with the criticism). But most of his detractors missed masculine image. It is no longer a question the opportunity of a debate and a subject too of barbecues but of the level of consumption little documented but nevertheless obvious— more or less induced by a sense of identity. But what is the reason for this? To our individual the relationship between food and gender. nutritional and caloric needs? The popular beBecause, yes, it’s real. At least, that’s what lief that red meat is the cement of male morsome people want to demonstrate. For the phology? Or instrumentalization of preferencmost part, this topic is documented by feminist es through advertising? Although men’s daily
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