In American psychologist Abraham Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs, food ranks as one of our basic needs, on par with water, warmth, rest and reproduction, all indispensable for human survival. At the same time more than 700 million people are considered malnourished, the equivalent of almost 10% of world population. Every tenth second, a child under the age of five is dying somewhere around our beautiful, unjust world, as a result of hunger and malnutrition.

Food has been a tool of cultural exchange since ancient times. It reflects a culture’s values and traditions through ingredients, preparation and presentation. Dumplings have been the most global food item since hundreds of years: Italians call their dumplings Ravioli, Japanese Gyōza, Polish Pierogi, Nepalese Momos, Turkish Manti, northern Chinese eat Jiaozi, Ukrainians Varenyky and my Swabian fellows call their favorite dumplings „Maultaschen“. A Chinese greeting translates with “Have you already eaten?“ In India curry dishes are believed to bring good luck and health. Sushi-making in Japan reflects cultural values such as patience and precision. After eating myself all-around the world, I agree with Anthony Bourdain who once claimed: “Greatness of a culture can be judged of what poor people daily eat.” 

Immigrants brought their delicacies from all over the world to New York, making it the best authentic food city on the planet. In Dubai, you just need to visit Ibn Battuta mall, named after one of the world’s greatest explorers, to feast from one continent to another, from Persian fesenjun, to Italian pici pasta to Louisiana seafood. Nowadays so-called „Foodies“ just travel for the purpose of eating.

Eating together confirms the sense of belonging, being part of a community. Offering food, no matter how plain, to a stranger is part of elementary hospitality in most cultures. Dinners spent together create and recreate families, friendships, and business relations. Sharing meals makes bridging cultural differences easier. Who knows how history would look like without the 1972 banquets at the Great Hall of the People on the occasion of the visit of Richard Nixon to the People’s Republic of China? And would Germany have won approval from its allies for its reunification without having then West German chancellor Helmut Kohl enthusiastically sharing his favourite dish „Saumagen“  (a kind of meat loaf) from his provincial Palatinate home area with visiting heads of state? Albeit I would consider „Saumagen“ as a rather mediocre dish – generally, the easiest way to win hearts and minds is through the stomach. 

Whether I was sitting on a mini plastic stool and eating Pho at a communal table in Hanoi, whether an old lady in a remote Nepalese village in the Himalayas lady her was sharing her  freshly-made momo, whether I was taking shop with Kenyan beer buddies about the best Nyama Choma barbecue, or whether the very same vendor selling Merguez sausages at his Marrakesh foodstall (No. 31) was recognising his best customer upon his return after two years: Something as simple as sharing a meal with locals can open up conversations between people of diverse backgrounds, all over the world. I am always hungry for more.