DINNER/MENU COMPARISON ASSIGNMENT

This assignment is worth 20% of your Final Grade

Please Note: Answer all questions below in the expandable space box provided.
1. Identify the festive/cultural dining experience event from your cultural background that you want to compare with another culture. Briefly describe the significant of the event. (5 marks)
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1. Describe 5 key points about your cultural background and customs/traditions. Research and list 5 key points from the culture you are comparing. (10 marks)
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1. Develop a traditional dining experience at your chosen event and design a formal meal menu for your own culture and then prepare an alternative formal meal menu for the alternative culture you have selected. Your meal menu will need to include at least 3 courses (i.e. Appetizers, Main Course, & Dessert. You can include additional items to the menu if you feel it is of benefit. Describe the significant and/or the relevant of the items selected and describe how they relate to the respective cultures. (20 marks)
Type your comment here.
1. For each of the two menus developed an appropriate food and wine/drink pairing that aligns with each food course of your selected menu items. State how these beverages are relevant to the culture background of the selected menu item or have an influence on their respective menus. (20 marks)
Type your comment here.
1. Finally, state 2 interesting points reflecting upon what you learned about the dining and drinking habits of the 2 cultures menu you have compared (5 marks)
Type your comment here.

Subject	Cultural Integration	Pages	3	Style	APA

Answer

1.Identify the festive/cultural dining experience event from your cultural background that you want to compare with another culture. Briefly describe the significant of the event. (5 marks)

Chinese New Year, which is also referred to as Spring Festival in China, happens to be among the most celebrated events in China. This traditional festival is significant because it bring different families together. This occasion is also accompanied by an officially recognized, one-week public holiday. Thus, this festival offers an opportunity for Chinese people to relax and have good time with their relations.

Describe 5 key points about your cultural background and customs/traditions. Research and list 5 key points from the culture you are comparing. (10 marks)

Being among the four ancient civilizations that include Egypt, India, and Babylon, China boasts uniqueness in its traditions, heritage, festivals, arts, and language. Some of the prominent traditions in China are Chinese zodiac signs, lucky colors and numbers, Chinese food and ancient marriage customs (China Highlights, 2017). Chinese natural heritage is both intangible and tangible, with historic sites and wonders, and ethnic festivals and songs. China has numerous traditional festivals such as the Mid-Autumn and New Year festivals that are celebrated nationally. China also boasts a range of magnificent art works including Chinese Kites, knots embroidery silk, and jade articles among others (China Highlights, 2017). The Chinese language happens to be the only pictographic language left in the world that is commonly used. Significant aspects can also be noted in the Indian heritage, tradition, art, language, and festivals, which will be compared to those in China.

Develop a traditional dining experience at your chosen event and design a formal meal menu for your own culture and then prepare an alternative formal meal menu for the alternative culture you have selected. Your meal menu will need to include at least 3 courses (i.e. Appetizers, Main Course, & Dessert. You can include additional items to the menu if you feel it is of benefit. Describe the significant and/or the relevant of the items selected and describe how they relate to the respective cultures. (20 marks)

Traditional Dining Experience In Chinese New Year Festival

This event will integrate both the Chinese and Indian cultural aspects. Chinese guests will be expected to where Chinese dressing known as Kimonos, while Indian visitors will have to wear the Langotas, Saris, gagra choli, and lehanga. These visitors will be welcomed to the event by Indian and Chinese speaking ushers, who will also be dressed in their respective cultures to avoid any confusion to the guests. The ushers will then direct guests to their designated sitting venues which will adopt a sitting arrangement that suit their respective cultures. For instance, for Chinese guests, the table of nobility will be placed facing east. The venue will be decorated with artworks from the two cultures. The tables placed on the left side of the nobility table will be arranged in order of significance, third, fifth, and seventh and so on, while those on the right will be arranged as second, fourth, and sixth. Guests will seat in order of their status and level of relationship. Music that suit the cultural background of the two cultures will be played in alternation. For example, for Indians, the Carnatic and Hindustani music will be played. Live music performance by artists two cultures will also be played to entertain guests. During the dining session, guests will be provided with utensils and cutlery that suit their respective cultures. Chinese guests will be provided with chopping sticks and bowls among other utensils. Since Indians often prefer eating with hands, this practice will be allowed for Hindu guests, as part of their dining etiquette.

Formal Meal Menu for Chinese Guests

Appetizers

Chinatown drink will be served along with Crab soup and sweet corn will be used as starters.

Main Course

Cantonese fried rice will be the main course meal. Soup will also be provided, as China Highlights (2017) asserts that Chinese people often follows a meal with a bowl of soup.

Desert

Fruit salad taken with the star anise will be the desert.

Formal Meal Menu for Indian Visitors

Appetizers

Archana Kitchen (2017) note that a refreshing drink take with snacks offers a good mechanism of getting the appetite going. As such, Sev Puri (a crunchy one) or Yam Kebab will be served on skewers to offer an extra aspect of style.

Main Course

Archana Kitchen (2017) assert that every meal’s main part often needs to balance all the appropriate things including health quotient, flavor, and textures along with the aspect of fun. The main course Indian meal will comprise buttery gravy (Mushroom Pasanda), sabzi, creamy dal consisting of Lentils and coconut milk taken with Chana Dal Pulao and Hara Dhania Paratha, and Raita.

Desert

According to Archana Kitchen (2017), the most fascinating part of each festive meal is to culminate on a sugary high. Therefore, Basundi will be served along with Malpua. Badam Almond Kherr will be provided for Indian guest who consider Basundi with Malpua too rich to them.

For each of the two menus developed an appropriate food and wine/drink pairing that aligns with each food course of your selected menu items. State how these beveragesare relevant to the culture background of the selected menu item or have an influence on their respective menus.(20 marks)

A range of food and drink parings exist for each of the food courses developed for Indians and Chinese people. For the three course Chinese meal, the red Bordeaux or red wine would be appropriate owing to its significance to the Chinese cultural background. This wine impresses most Chinese people, as it represents status or class. Beckett (2015) asserts that providing an easily identifiable wine or drink shows the host’s acknowledgment of the significance of the association between the guest and the host. In the Chinese food culture, the acknowledging the relationship with the visitors is esteemed. Bordeaux also sends the message of masculinity, which is in line with the attitude of Chinese people (Beckett, 2015). Besides, the red colour of the drink bears a significant resonance with the Chinese culture. In China, the red colour is considered a colour for luck (Beckett, 2015). Red colour is often embraced in most Chinese celebrations such as the New Year’s festivities and wedding. Thus, providing the red wine to visitors is perceived positively. Chinese people also associate the red wine with health, and providing them with Bordeaux will fascinate them, as they revere health. For instance, Beckett (2015) assets that Chinese ingredients like shark’s fin, sea cucumber, and bird’s nest, which are highly sought after, possess health-enhancing properties.

Contrary to the Chinese culture that esteems red wine and ties it to life events and destiny issues such as luck, Indians do not esteem wine so much that they could consume their meals without it. Nevertheless, wine festivals are still held in India to allow for socialization with family friends (Sheth et al., 2014). There are three types of wines that could be paired with the Indian three course meal provided in the menu. Sparkling wine or sparkling wine would be paired with the appetizer and desert meals, while the Pink Elephant, which is suitable with spicy foods, would be taken for the main course meal. The main course meal could also be paired with Alsace. Becckett (2015) assert that this wine is good choice for those who eat out.

Finally, state 2 interesting points reflecting upon what you learned about the dining and drinking habits of the 2 cultures menu you have compared(5 marks)

I was surprised to learn that while Chinese people tend to accompany all meals with soup, Indians do not embrace this practice. Besides, I also noted that eating with bare hands is considered normal among Indian, while it this practice is against the eating etiquette of Chinese people. As such, the Chinese use chop sticks. However, learning experience has highlighted the fact that two cultures may resemble each other in certain dimensions of drinking and dining habits. For instance, Indian and chine have liking for wine, and take it with meals.

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References

Archana’s Kitchen. (2017). Course Meal Festive North Indian Dinner. Retrieved April 4, 2017 from:<http://www.archanaskitchen.com/3-course-meal-festive-north-indian-dinner-saturday-night-dinner>

Beckett, F. (2015). Matching Food & Wine: Why the Chinese Prefer to Drink Red Wine with Food Retrieved April 4, 2017 from:<https://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/news/recent/why-the-chinese-prefer-to-drink-red-wine-with-food/?tag=Chinese%20food>

Beckett, F. (2015). Matching Food & Wine: How to Pair Wine with Authentic Indian Meal. Retrieved April 4, 2017 from

China Highlights. (2017). Chinese Culture. Retrieved April 4, 2017 from:<http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/culture/>

Saucy Recipes. (2012). Chinese Three Course Meal. Retrieved April 4, 2017 from:<http://saucyrecipes.com/recipe/saucyrecipes-saucyrecipes-chinese-three-course-meal/>

Sheth, H., Pereira, A. K., Thomas, S. T., Kumar, K. V., Kelapanda, M. C., Dant, G., & Jaykumar, V. (2014). Wine Festival and Wine Consumerism – A Perspective Study on Influence and awareness in the Growth and Acceptance of Wine in Indian Market. International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences, 2(4), 20-36.

Answer

References

Archana’s Kitchen. (2017). Course Meal Festive North Indian Dinner. Retrieved April 4, 2017 from:<http://www.archanaskitchen.com/3-course-meal-festive-north-indian-dinner-saturday-night-dinner>

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