From the Rise of Authentic Italian Restaurants in America to the Creation of New Multicultural Food Tourism Experiences

Abstract

With the emergence of culinary multiculturalism in the globalized world, ethnic restaurants have become central symbols of postmodern life, no longer relegated to a domestic and community sphere, but able to attract non-ethnic customers without necessarily destroy food cultural heritage. In line with this trend, the article aims to contribute to the literature on new food tourism experiences by examining contemporary Italian restaurants in the US to investigate how Italian food identity in ethnic restaurants is advertised and sold. Starting from the literature on Italian culinary immigration in America, from the rise of the first Italian restaurants to the invention of the Italian American culinary tradition, the article provides an ethnographic study to understand the changing business environment that is leading new entrepreneurs in foodservice to diversify their business models towards the creation of new food tourism experiences as a result of an ever-changing dialogue between tradition and innovation.