Food and Migration: The Case of Bulgarians in Munich
Food and Migration: The Case of Bulgarians in Munich

Summary/Abstract: This article considers the transformation of migrants’ food tastes in the context of their integration into the host society. Fieldwork with several groups of first generation Bulgarian migrants was conducted in Munich. Because of the emotional, sensory and mnemonic effects of the consumption of native food, bringing food items from Bulgaria appeared crucial for immigrants’ nutritional practices. Different levels of preservation and transformation of the “original Bulgarian taste” were shown, depending primarily on the social and marital status of the immigrants. The great importance of ritual food and the role of cuisine as a signifier of origin and identity are clearly shown in the text. The conscious treating of foreign guests to Bulgarian dishes reflects the capacities of food as an instrument of self-revelation (deliberate or even involuntary). Differences between Bulgarian and German attitudes towards cooking and eating result in an active cultural exchange, in which Germans borrow much more Bulgarian food items and nutritional practices than vice versa.

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