Melting Spots 6: Authenticity

What makes food “authentic”? Is it a dish made with imported spices? A recipe on the back of a napkin in your grandmother’s handwriting? The truth is, culture is alive: the most authentic cuisines are really a product of constant change, adaptation, and innovation. In this episode of Melting Spots, Chefs and food writers from Damansara, Moya, Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, Mandalay Restaurant, and H-Mart share stories of how food can introduce people to a country—and is often the most tangible way to represent a culture today. 

Melting Spots is a food map & storytelling project from the California Migration Museum that explores how immigrants have shaped San Francisco and fed its residents from the Gold Rush to the latest AI boom. Explore more at calmigration.org/meltingspots