Impact on Food Culture

Homogenisation

Foods become more generic and similar in all parts of the world due to homogenisation

Example

• Spread of fast food chains
  • McDonald's
  • KFC
  • Starbucks
• Served the same things all around the world

Link

• Popularity of fast food outlets threatened local food
  • More people prefer to consume and patronise American food outlets
  • Hawker culture die
• Food giants dominated the food scene and crowding out traditional food providers leading to their demise

Hybridisation

Local foods merge with foreign food to create a new type of food, increasing diversity

Example

• Local food can still have a place in the harts of Singaporeans
• Foreign fast food items and menu modifying to local tastes
• Rendang beef burger sold at Burger King
• Satay chicken pizza
  • Incorporates elements of Singaporean and Italian cuisine

Link

• Those examples show how local food cultures are not totally lost
• Hybridisation can result in the creation of new dishes and food items which incorporates both local and foreign influences adding to the diversity in our local food culture