Food, The Transmitter of a Cook's Emotions - Research Paper Example

Food: The Transmitter of A Cook’s Emotion I. Introduction Food does not only nourish us but also stimulates our emotion. As a consumption artifact, food stimulates certain “web of associations” and memories within us (Belk 1991, p.116 as cited in Baker et al., 2005, 402). It appeals to our senses and arouses certain emotions that link us to certain people, times, and other places (McDonald, 2007). This became possible because the process of preparing and partaking food is not only a personal affair but also a social act (Parva, 2004). Cooking and eating is a part of the ritualistic act of “celebration of holidays and milestone events, the passing of time, and healing” (Baker et al., 2005, 402) that makes it a part of our lives. If we are to understand why we crave certain food, it is because it fills a certain gap within us. Indeed, food and emotions are very much linked together (Anon., 2004). The cook who prepares our food understands this linkage between food and emotion. In addition to the cook’s personal passion for the job, the cook also have a deep understanding that particular foods can make us feel in certain ways; that we will always connect a certain sense of our well being with food (Anon, 2004). This explains why cooks are exerting tremendous effort when they prepare our food. They knew that foods do not only feeds and nourishes the body but also makes us “feel” in certain ways. Cooks can be considered as “food artists”. In the same way that a painter can convey emotions with his or her masterpieces, cooks can also transmit his or her emotion through food. In fact, cooks can even transmit a stronger emotion to the consumers than what a visual artist does because the experience in partaking food prepared by the cook is more personal and satisfying compared to an artist who only makes emotional impression with its audience. II. Ways a cook can transmit emotions through food As stated earlier, food stimulates a “web of association within us. Foods appeals to our senses and arouses certain emotions that link us to certain people, times, and other places (McDonald, 2007) and being such, is able to transmit emotions to us. There are several ways that cook can transmit emotion through food. First, a cook can capitalize on the individual’s personal significant events that is associated with food. Knowing which food has a strong historical significance to its consumer tremendously empowers a cook to device foods that can transmit strong emotions. Significant events in an individual’s life Cooking and eating being a social act has a deep impression in an individual’s phychological make up. Food has always been a centerpiece in every milestone of our lives. It has always been present either as a sustenance during our infancy or as a celebratory ritual tool during birthday celebrations. Food has always been “linked to a happy or memorable events in childhood” and as such, will always have its indelible mark on our well-being that we will carry throughout our lives. Compounds in foods that affects mood The second way where a cook can transmit emotion to the consumer is through the selection of foods that have mood altering compounds. In a study conducted by Brooks (2006), she reported that there is a bidirectional relationship between food and mood. It meant that as “just as foods determine our moods, so do our moods determine what we eat” (Christensen, 2001, 44 as cited in Brooks 2006, 293). Either way, food has a direct correlationship with mood which is essentially a function of emotion that a cook can use to transmit emotions to the consumers. This implies that a cook can transmit emotion not only by capitalizing on foods that are associated with an individual’s significant life events that triggers emotion, but also on the selection of the food itself. A cook can select food that has compounds which can be used to induce certain mood among those who will eat it. Food compounds such as carbohydrates are mood altering substances which can be used to transmit an emotion of comfort to the consumer. Foods, such as chocolate, bananas, and turkey, have proteins that are known to create seratonin, the chemical which can ease the tension of a human brain, which is why they are so popular as comfort foods, especially chocolates (Baker, 2009). Given the right concoction and preparation, a cook can transmit a powerful emotion of comfort when such food choices are prepared for individuals who are undergoing emotional depression. Cook’s sheer creativity and artistry can also transmit emotion Cooks are considered food artists because they can creatively parepare foods that are not only delectable to the taste buds, but can also convey emotion. Just like any artists, each cook has its own specialized menu or masterpiece. When such specialized food is prepared and processed under the right condition, its taste and presentation can transmit the positive emotion of the cook. III. Cooking in the mainstream media Food has a very signicant influence in our lives not only because it provides us the sustenance and nutrition that we need to live, but also because of the “web of emotional associations” it can induce wthin us. Due to this popularity, mass media picked it up in the form of mainstream shows to cater to the demand of the public on how to better prepare foods. A cook’s job, although traditionally unpopular, became favourable where the cooks themselves became celebrities. Personalities such as Rachel Ray and Sarah Moulton became a household name. The increasing popularity on how to better prepare food has also transcended the gender stereotyping of cooking. Men, who were traditionally averse to cooking because it is typically perceived as a household chore and a domain of a woman, are also beginnning to engage in cooking. Today, we can see men that actually cook, be it at home or on TV. Also, the increasing popularity of men who cook is also picked up in the media where we can see an increasing number of male hosts in cooking channels. The gender stereotyping among men and women, however, is still present even in hosting cook shows. At the present, it seems to persist because these stereotyping cater to specific segment of the audience. This difference was keenly observed by Rebecca Swenson in her article “Cooking Class: Gender on the Food Network”. She observed that the most “striking difference between male and female Food Network stars is the absence of discussion by male hosts of cooking as every day, family-centered labor” (2009). Female hosts such as Rachel Ray in 30 minute meal situate their show in a typical kitchen to convey hominess. In contrast, male hosts such as Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse treat cooking as a “professional, public challenge”. Male hosts treat cooking as a job where they are experts; the conversation in shows like Molto Mario Tyler’s Ultimate and Good Deal with Dave Lieberman is often confined with experiences that happen in their professional kitchens. To men, cooking is treated like a job and an art form. In their shows they like to put on the traditional jacket that is worn by professional chefs (Swenson, 2009). Women play their traditional domestic role on their cook shows. Their show typically involves other people such as family members and friends whom they will be cooking for and they are usually dressed in casual clothes with an apron. The approach is less formal and the conversations are also more personal that involve other people and are more entertaining than instructional. Even the titles of their shows manifest the traditional role of women, for example, Sarah’s Secrets “The family that eats together stays together” (Swenson, 2009). From this observation of Swenson (2009), we can glean that each gender still comes off with its traditional role even when they are hosting cooking shows. The male hosts project instruction and professionalism and treat cooking as a job, while women still convey hominess and family centeredness in their cook shows. Their cooking shows are also more entertaining and less rigid than the informative male cooking shows. This starking difference in their hosting styles might have been deliberate as dictated by the script, or just came off from the natural disposition and orientation of their genders. But whatever is the case, it is clear that each hosting style caters to a specific segment of audience. Female oriented cooking shows hosted by Rachel Ray and Sarah Moulton are dominantly attended and viewed by women, while male hosted cooking shows are more preferred by men. Perhaps, this is to cater to the varying perspective about learning how to cook: men would like to have more information and instruction, while women would like to see something personal and entertaining. IV. Conclusion The recent popularity of cook shows in mainstream media is an acknowledgement that food is more than a sustenance that nourishes our body. The high-esteem that is recently conferred to cooks is also an acknowledgement of their unique capability to transmit emotions with the foods that they prepare. This is a positive development because popularizing the art of cooking helps the foods to be enriched further. It makes people treat food preparation in a proper perspective that it does not only feed the body, but nourishes the soul as well. References: Anon. (2004, October). The alchemy of cooking. Positive Health, (104) 27-28. Baker, S. M.; Karrer, H. C.; Veeck, A. (2005). My Favorite Recipes: Recreating Emotions and Memories Through Cooking.. Advances in Consumer Research, 32(1), 402-403. McDonald, D. (2007, December). Grandma chong kwans salmi and other stories. Petits Propos Culinaires, (84)11-1. Parva, S. (2004, February). Ayurveda — Internalize Cooking and Spiritualize Eating. Positive Health, (96)36-39. Swenson, R. (2009, April). Cooking Class: Gender on the Food Network. Communication Currents, 4(2). Retrieved from http://www.natcom.org/CommCurrentsArticle.aspx?id=1449 Read More