Food is the first love of every person. The way to one’s heart could be through food! Every region has its own delicious recipes that have been passed on for generations. Food and warmth exchanged with great respect among people since times unknown.
The world has progressed in all dimensions of technology. Yet no technology can actually pack the aroma and taste of any dish. Taste and appearance can only be described through words and pictures, but savoring it, in reality, is an experience of a lifetime. Food has transformed into a wholesome experience and is no more mere eating.
Travel has exposed people to diverse global cultures. Every ingredient appealing to a palette may receive a different response from another. Taste, a subjective premise, has opened new opportunities for chefs and business heads. They can play with their creative ideas and maximize their markets. Food, once confined to a specific region, is now served at the customer’s doorstep. It comes in a complete makeover with customer's choicest ingredients! Even cooking techniques can be chosen as per the interest. Be it a tandoor or a stirfry, be it pan-fry or barbequed.
Major brands in the food business have adopted this winning strategy of glocalization. This has led to an increase in the market potential in every domestic market. Certain ingredients are now replaced with local produce. In this way, chefs are bringing a huge makeover to the original dish. But this is being done without disturbing the balance of the actual recipe. It has a lot of economic benefits too. You can have your favorite Aloo in your Mc wrap!
Mc Donald has strategically localized its famous Mc Burgers with local ingredients in them, it can now appeal to the local palate. In Japan, they’ve launched Gracaro burgers. These come loaded with local flavors of white sauce, macaroni, and shrimp. Cakes filled with sinful chocolates once are now singing with local flours. Millet flours like ragi and even semolina and jaggery are used instead of brown sugar in many global dessert recipes.
International events, family weddings, corporate events, etc are open for experimental cooking. Festivals across our country India have a huge role to play in this fusion of food. Modern age professions that are travel-oriented, have deprived people of their native cuisines. This has created a huge demand for regional foods in places that have never heard of them before. This gap is bridged by the restaurateurs and chefs. They are launching improvised global recipes in their menus and enthralling the clients. The element of surprise is hard to miss.
A wave of patriotism is displayed in all the recipes. A balance is struck between local ingredients and recipes from across the borders.
Every locality speaks aloud about its own culture, traditions packed with stories of folklore. When these synchronize with respect and blend into a recipe of high demand. Magic happens. Food bloggers have famous recipes from every cuisine, reinvented with simple at-home ingredients. Growing competition and innate talent, have led to a tough challenge. A promising market for localization of global food lies ahead.
Rightfully said by an American Chef, James Beard, I quote, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”