Food Is the New Passport: How Cuisine Became the Coolest Cultural Flex

Mehek Negandhi
Jul 5
3 min read

By Mehek Negandhi Client Relations Lead at Gourmet Tales Co. Instagram | LinkedIn ARMY by heart 💜, foodie by soul, saucy by nature

Ever Tasted a story?

That’s what happens when you slurp ramen in Tokyo, sip kadak chai in Delhi, or bite into fish and chips across from Windsor Castle. You’re not just eating, you're experiencing culture. Food as soft power is the quiet way countries are winning hearts one dumpling, dosa, or dessert at a time. And honestly? I’ve been soaking it in since I was three.

My First Taste of Diplomacy: Dadi’s Kitchen

My earliest lesson in culinary diplomacy didn’t come from a foreign embassy, it came from my grandmother’s rolling pin. Watching her sprinkle masalas into a bubbling curry pot taught me that food carries memory, emotion, and identity. What comforted our family could just as easily connect strangers. That’s soft power at its best: when a dish becomes a bridge.

How Pop Culture Fed My Curiosity

Before I ever ate Korean BBQ, I felt it. K-dramas and BTS videos had me craving pork belly wrapped in lettuce, kimchi spice, and laughter around a shared table. Anime made ramen look like a life-changing elixir. By the time I had my first real bowl in Bandra, I was already nostalgic for a dish I hadn’t met yet. That’s the magic of pop-culture plates they whet your appetite for the world.

*A cozy dining table is set with a steaming bowl of delicious ramen loaded with tender meat, fresh greens, and a rich, flavorful broth, all paired with a refreshing glass of bubbly drink.*

A hot stone plate loaded with seasoned meat and veggies brings the delicious vibe of Korean barbecue.

A World Tour via Tastebuds Let me take you on my flavour flight:

Tokyo Dreamin’ Tiny Mehek, eyes wide, eating her first piece of salmon nigiri the melt of the fish, the tease of wasabi. That grape jelly pop? Still haunts me in the best way. Japan doesn’t just serve sushi it sends sushi masters abroad to teach omotenashi (hospitality) with every slice.

Seoul on a Skewer

BBQ grills, sizzling pork belly, kimchi’s spicy snap I felt like I was inside a K-drama dinner scene. Korea knows this. Its cultural ministry ships 2,000 kg of kimchi annually to 15 cities. That’s not dinner, that’s diplomacy.

Homegrown Heat Nothing hits like rasam and rice after a long day. Or jalebi-fafda when it’s time to celebrate. India’s chai diplomacy is real too! 12,000+ cups served globally last year, spreading warmth and cardamom one embassy at a time. Fish, Chips & Royal Feels

Across from Windsor Castle, that vinegar-soaked, golden-battered fish transported me. Edible tourism is real Britain’s pubs are turning heritage into happy-hour.

Pizza, But Make It a Pilgrimage

My brother’s benchmark is a perfect Neapolitan slice: puffy crust, molten cheese, pepperoni that bites back. For one dinner, we’re in Naples not Mumbai. Italy’s sending pizza chefs abroad because yes, pizza can be policy.

Why Nations (and Brands) Are All In

Cultural councils are hosting tea weeks, kimchi pop-ups, sushi workshops.
Hospitality brands co-create “Taste of [Country]” nights for a dash of edible travel.
And street food? It’s going viral faster than any Michelin menu.

Because nothing says “welcome” like something delicious.

Where GTC Finds Its Flavor

At Gourmet Tales Co., we believe food is a universal love language. Our founder’s passport has seen everything from croissants in Paris and kimchi in Seoul to truffle pasta in Italy and flatbreads in the UAE. Along the way, we’ve teamed up with tourism boards and cultural collectives who share one goal: letting food do the talking. Because sometimes, the quickest way to understand a country… is through your plate.