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Professors Peter Naccarato and Katie LeBesco to debut new book Culinary Capital on December 1.
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October 19, 2012 – Money, property and education are certainly status symbols in American culture. But, according to co-authors and academicians Peter Naccarato and Katie LeBesco, food and food practices can also serve as a mark of status and distinction. In their newly released book, Culinary Capital, they coin a new term as they examine contemporary culture’s fascination (perhaps even obsession) with the food scene. According to Naccarato and LeBesco, knowing and embracing the latest food trends – being a “foodie” – is an important path for gaining status in today’s world. Thus, Culinary Capital is a must read for all self-described foodies who thirst to understand the importance of their food choices – what, when, how and why they eat.
Naccarato and LeBesco’s exploration of culinary capital in action takes them to some interesting places, including the Food Network, meal assembly kitchens, online grocery stores and online restaurant review sites. In each of these places they find common themes, from familiar mantras about healthy and restrained eating to traditional narratives about gender and class identity. At the same time, they turn their attention to other food scenes that offer alternative paths to culinary capital. They explore the phenomenon of competitive eating. They visit state fairs and carnivals where unhealthy and excessive eating is encouraged. They look at junk food blogs that celebrate everything from fast food eateries to cakes and candy.
Culinary Capital examines how each of these sites promises viewers and consumers status through the acquisition of culinary capital. Naccarato and LeBesco argue that as it does so, culinary capital intersects with a range of cultural values and ideologies, particularly those of gender and economic class. Ultimately, their journey across the contemporary American foodscape is one that sheds light on the role of culinary capital in shaping individual and group identities in contemporary culture.
The book will be available online and in bookstores in the United States on December 1st. It made its debut in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2012.
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