Multi-Ethnic Food in the US
The United States boasts one of the world's most racially and ethnically diverse populations as people move from their home countries in search of greener pastures in the stateside. And with them, they bring their culture that includes their literature, music and food. Ethnic food in the country is only increasing, and it has led to the establishment of many restaurants that lure both the natives of the country and offering their fellow people a taste of their home. By estimation, this year alone the ethnic food industry should bring in a revenue of about $3.9 billion dollars and sales are expected to rise as more and more establishments crop up all promising to give the most authentic experience.
However, the rise of the ethnic food in recent times cannot only be attributed to the immigration which seems to have leveled but rather to the international travel many citizens of the country have been embarking. Now more than ever, people from the United States have taken to traveling overseas during their holidays or for work purposes, and it is during their exploration periods that they are exposed to the new cultures of the places they visit. Once they return home, they often crave to have a piece of their vacation back, and they go in search of places that serve the culture, including food and music that they experienced in the places they visited. Ethnic foods such as Mexican food, however, is influenced by the proximity of the country to the US and they end up interacting and borrowing some of their cultures, guacamole being one of the most popular exports out of Mexico yet.
Italian food comes in second, and it is quite popular with all age groups and genders and typically associated with upper-level service and food. The biggest export out of Italy is the pizza, and their food includes copious amounts of cheese and pasta as well as tomato sauce.
Chinese restaurants that serve Chinese cuisine are the largest by establishments, and they even outnumber local food chains such as Burger King. Chinese ethnic food is unique when compared to other multi-ethnic foods because China is a large country with several sub-races within, all of them have distinct cultures and consequently, also have their different cuisine. However, they are widely famed for their noodle as well as dim sum regardless of the origin of the food. San Francisco specifically has a large Asian market as it is where the first immigrants from China settled. Japanese cuisine is also famous in the country, the most popular being teriyaki. The rise of ethnic food has also brought with it a plethora of spices that are now used in cooking all over the country and have been fully integrated into the local cuisine. Such include salsa, bay leaves, cloves, coriander, and ginger.
General trends in ethnic foods restaurants include switching to all-natural ingredients as the US goes through an awakening stage of the harmful effects of chemical additives in foods. The restaurants have also incorporated artisanal food techniques and are now focusing on gourmet to give their customers a feeling of exclusivity. They have started using lower fats and healthier fats in their cooking to accommodate the needs of some of their health conscious customers. Most ethnic restaurants have started even offering vegetarian and vegan options of their foods to lure in more customers with specific nutritional needs.
The Latin American Music Industry in the US
Mambo is a popular music genre that is widely appreciated by the world over, and it has its roots from Latin America. As the South American and Carribean population gained entry into the US, they also imported their culture with them including their upbeat tempo music. Latin Music has influenced many genres of music, and it is responsible for their evolution as we know them now. It influenced jazz, pop, rock and roll as well as the blues. Today, all these genres have distinct Latin influence from their native genres such as calypso, samba, pasodoble, cha cha, mambo, the tango and salsa. The latter two are still famous today and have been incorporated into the international dance scene.
The 1950s brought with them a population that wanted to dance and most music had elements of the mambo. It helped catapult certain Latin artist into the limelight and brought recognition and visibility to the Latin community in the US. These artists include Machito and His Afro-Cubans, and such bands consisted of the most ethnically diverse members like Ritchie Valens of "La Bamba" who played with a band that consisted of white, black and Japanese-American members. Puerto Ricans are mostly accredited with mixing Afro beats with Latin music that gave rise to another unique sound. It was the music that many discotheques in the 1960s played, and they ended up influencing the sounds of African American artists of Motown Records.
Artists such as Richie Ray and Joe Cuba are validated with influencing the sound of rock n’ roll as they mixed in Afro beats. Carlos Santana is responsible for introducing the soulful electric guitar that is now a staple in the genre. Latin American music is diverse because a lot of people identify with the culture, including the Portuguese, who make up a large population of the South American population. All their cultures have been blended into a rich sound that captures the essence of Latin music in the US.
The 80s were famed for “I Love Lucy” with Ricky Ricardo as the star and established Latin men as lead characters in the pop culture of the US. Then entered MTV and popularized Rico Suave and his hard to master dance moves all of Latin origin. MTV then brought their music to a worldwide audience.
As the hype of the 1960s, upbeat music came to a halt; Latin music did not but it evolved into the 2000s raggatone music that borrows Afro beats of the Jamaican people. This new genre had widespread success all over America and the West Indies, and it helped establish such artists such as Daddy Yankee, Sean Paul and Pitbull. Today, some of the industry's most successful artists are of Latin origin, and they include Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan, Shakira, who is famed for her undulating hips reminiscent of her Columbian origin, Pitbull, Prince Royce, who is known for his mellow voice, Christina Aguilera and Selena. Their music has beats that are influenced by their origins, and it is their unique sound to which they contribute their success. In fact, they have a bigger market outside of the country and has led to the establishment of Latin music awards such as the Latin Grammys and Billboard Awards.
There is no doubt that the Latin American culture has had the most influence on the culture of the US population, aside from the music industry. Their influence can also be observed in sports, clothing, cuisine and language. It has made the country the multicultural hub it is today and contributed to the diverse human resources it can exploit.
References
American Sabor.(2016). Latinos in the U.S. popular music. Smithsonian Institute. Retrieved from http://americansabor.org
Lee, H. J., Hwang, J., and Mustapha, A. (2014). Popular ethnic foods in the United States: A historical perspective and safety perspective. Comprehensive Revision in Food Science and Food Safety, Vol. 13. Institute of Food Technology.
QSR. (2016). With ethnic food on the rise, diners seek authenticity. Journalistic Inc. Retrieved from www.qrsmagazine.com
