Ji Wei Cosmo-multiculturalism and whitening the gastronomical experience of Cantonese food in Sydney, Australia

Abstract

Abstract

In this paper, I explore the presence of Cantonese food in Sydney through the lens of cosmo-multiculturalism and I conclude that Cantonese food has become a commodity to the Australian foodscape. I analyse the presence of Cantonese food,
specifically Yum Cha, in two different settings. The first one caters to Chinese and Chinese Australians while the second one provides a carefully manufactured gastronomic experience designed for White Australians. The second example is the summum of cosmo-multiculturalism insofar as it provides White patrons with an ethnic commodity that has been modified to suit their palates. This commodity has lost its intrinsic value and its only use is to increase the cosmo-multicultural capital of the White Australian settlers who consume it.

Keywords: Cosmo-multiculturalism, Australia, China, food, whitened