Cooking the Nation:

How does cuisine promote, challenge, and complexify our understandings of national identities in an era of globalization? How have local culinary traditions been used to promote national identities on the global stage? This conference explores the rise of “gastronationalism” and culinary diplomacy – the use of cuisine to promote mutual understanding – in the context of global trends and local dynamics in the UAE. Leading scholars of food studies along with cookbook authors, chefs, and policy-makers will meet over two days to explore the challenges and prospects of “cooking the nation.”

Convened by

• Hanan Sayed Worrell, Author, Table Tales: Exploring Culinary Diversity in Abu Dhabi, NYUAD
• Jonathan H. Shannon, Interim Program Head of Arab Crossroads Studies; Visiting Professor of Anthropology, NYUAD

Hosted by

• NYU Abu Dhabi Institute