Flattened Food Cultures: What’s Lost When Tourism Sets the Menu

This is the sixth in a series of video diaries I am doing while spending time in Morocco for a family commitment. I am experimenting with this video diary format to share my thoughts on the travel industry through the lens of my stay here.

Here’s the first one, which was on preserving authenticity in a digital age; the second one, on the renewed importance of visiting-friends-and-relatives travel in a globally mobile world; the third one on the rise of the individual vs. brands and what it means for travel leadership; the fourth one, on the joys of traveling with family in collectivist societies; and the fifth one, on the missed opportunity for morning and night tourism.

The sixth one is below. If you aren’t able to view the video properly here, check it out directly on my LinkedIn post.

Hey folks, how’s it going? Another video diary here, this time from Morocco. One of the things I’ve been thinking about a lot during my travels—especially when I stay in one place for a while—is how food cultures get flattened. And tourism plays a big role in that. So, I’ve been reflecting on what can be done to push back.

When I say “flattening of food cultures,” I’m talking about how certain cuisines get boiled down to the same, overly familiar dishes.

Take Indian food. I know it well. Outside India, it often gets distilled into what people expect, rather than its true diversity. Then, if you visit India, you’re often served what matches those expectations. The real depth is missed.

Istanbul is another example. When my wife and I visited a couple of years ago, we got bored of eating the same doner kebab-style food. Turkish cuisine is globally praised, but at street-level restaurants, the variety often isn’t there. Then, a friend took us to a high-end regional spot featuring a lot of vegetarian dishes. It was a revelation. Apparently, vegetarian food is a big part of Turkish cuisine, but it doesn’t make it to the mainstream menus, probably because it’s not what tourists demand.

And here in Morocco, it’s the same. Most people know tagines and couscous—both essential to Moroccan food, sure. But two days ago, I had cow feet with chickpeas at a tiny, local spot. It’s a dish that would never be served to tourists because, well, “cow feet” might put them off. But it was delicious! My wife, daughter, and I loved it. It’s a reminder of what gets left behind when we stick to the tourist highlights.

Tourism shapes what gets cooked, grown, and served. Over time, it even shapes what locals think their own cuisine is. Generations grow up assuming that the distilled version served to tourists is the real thing. That’s where the loss happens. It’s a slow homogenization of food culture, and it’s something worth fighting against.

So, how do we push back? Awareness is the first step. The farm-to-table movement has already made strides, but tourism boards, hotels, airlines, and digital platforms have a huge role to play. They can highlight lesser-known aspects of local cuisines and encourage travelers to explore beyond the surface.

And as travelers, we need to do our part. Slow down, spend more time in one place, and dive deeper. That’s why slow travel is so meaningful—it lets you truly get under the skin of a destination. Food is such a rich part of that.

I’m hopeful. With all the information at our fingertips today, we can make more informed choices and help reduce the flattening of food cultures. Let’s keep exploring, one dish at a time. Thanks for listening.