The city had also experienced French colonialism. New Orleans seemed immediately familiar to this new immigrant community. These major events shook up entire communities, transforming the way they eat.Īfter the Vietnam War, Nguyen’s parents ended up in New Orleans, where many Vietnamese refugees were largely housed together, sponsored by the Catholic Church. Vietnamese refugees transform Louisianan foodĬhef Nini Nguyen said Viet-Cajun food arrived when a large group of Vietnamese refugees came to Louisiana after the Vietnam War, but this phenomenon didn’t truly take off until after Hurricane Katrina. Over time, this evolution turns into its own type of food, he said, in the same way the Hawaiian plate has become its own cuisine, or the way Italian American food was established.įor now, Choi said this is a new culture that we’re witnessing: “When people (got) into this taco, it felt for the first time, like L.A. Whether he’s making slippery shrimp, shaking beef or kogi tacos, Choi said his food is a mutation of original dishes that do not look like the names they are given. He said the Kogi BBQ truck “channeled all the history and ancestry of street food – the loncheras and the taqueiros – we came from that culture.”Ī Kogi short rib taco. He remembers aunties and mothers of neighbors and friends, cooking and selling their food on street corners. It is a “psychedelic intersection” of cultures found in the specific 3-mile radius of Los Angeles’ Koreatown, making it distinctly “ Los Angeles food” for, and by, American children of immigrants.Ĭhoi told CNN his food is an amalgamation of traditional flavors found in this region, including culinary traditions from Korea, Central America, certain parts of Mexico and Bangladesh. The Kogi BBQ taco truck isn’t simply fusion, as chef Roy Choi describes it. Here’s a look at how some of them came about. Each of these creations marks a distinct era in US immigration – while some are fading, others are now taking off. These intercultural collaborations tell a unique story, from adapting a plate of chow mein for European palates in the early 20th century to combining Korean barbecue with Mexican tacos nearly 100 years later. One of the most popular remixes is the category of Asian fusion. Immigrants from around the world have for centuries adapted their traditional dishes to incorporate native ingredients or to accommodate other tastes on US soil. The US has often been described as a “melting pot” – and though some now consider the metaphor outdated, it still holds true when it comes to food.
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