Verbenarestaurant | Thoughts & Commentary - Food writing that goes beyond the recipe.

What Can Be Done: A Practical Framework?

Reversing this dynamic is not a matter of individual consumer choice alone. The structures that drive culinary extraction are economic and political. But there are concrete steps that eaters, cooks, and writers can take to push back against the erasure. 1. Name the Source When you write about a dish or share it on social media, name the specific community, region, and if possible, the individuals who created it.

Can We Savor Without Stealing?

This is not a call to stop exploring food. Curiosity is a beautiful thing, and the exchange of culinary ideas can be a source of joy and connection. But we must learn to savor without stealing. We must approach the foods of other cultures with humility, not entitlement. This means asking different questions.

The Restaurant’s Role: Curator or Colonizer?

Restaurants sit at a strange crossroads in this story. A chef can be a careful steward of a tradition, bringing attention and resources to a struggling community. Or a chef can be an extractor, taking the surface-level aesthetics of a cuisine and repackaging them for a wealthy audience that will never visit the source. The difference often lies in the depth of the relationship.

Can a Trend Ever Give Back?

The question that haunts me is whether the global enthusiasm for a dish can ever be channeled back to protect its origin. There are glimmers of hope. Some chefs are using their platforms to fund agricultural projects in the communities that inspire them. A few specialty importers are working directly with cooperatives, paying fair prices and investing in sustainable farming practices.

Can a Trend Also Heal?

It would be easy to cast trends as the villain, but the story is not that simple. Sometimes, a global spotlight can revive a dying tradition, if the attention is directed back to the source with care.