Tradition, modernity and exoticism: plating up Peruvian in Melbourne

Abstract

This article considers the ‘plating up’ of Peruvian food in two very different Melbourne establishments, each reflective of the changing face of Peruvian cuisine outside of Peru. We argue that despite a move from the suburban periphery of ‘ethnic’ dining to the cosmopolitan centre of high-end cuisine, Peruvian food in Melbourne is subject to exoticization and the demand for ‘authenticity’. In our analysis of the plating up of Peruvian cuisine in two very different establishments, we draw on theories of ethnic dining (in particular Heldke’s profile of the ‘food adventurer’) and of restaurateur practice (Hamada’s study of Japanese restaurants as an ‘exotic genre’) as well as the broader contex..