When I see the topic of this discussion, it just reminds me of a lot of things. Personally, food is art. I grow up in a small city in China, China has a lot of different type of food from different area. Those food that cooked in different style and different flavor is really attractive. For example, different fish have to be cooked in different style. Some of them need to be fried, some of them need to be steamed. Then they would have different flavors and taste great. The author says, “Both an original recipe and an actual dish (a particular performance of a recipe, as it were) are works of art if they are regarded aesthetically” (Page 17). In that case, the author just believes that recipe and dish art works of art. I think it may because the dish or recipes are special and beautiful which may attract people very well.
However, I do not think fast food is art. Because they cooked only by machines and some other chemical factors, some of them even lose the original flavors of themselves. For example, like hamburger that mentioned in the “Fast food video” (first video presentation), the beef just came from “hundreds of different cattle, raised as many as five country, and grounded together”. Those meat may not delegated, and they cooked by machines, they lose the nutrition and become unhealthy in the fast food chain. Therefore, I do not think that fast food is art, because they cooked by machine, and cooked without the design of chef or artist.
According to Ellen Dissanayake’s essay, “The crucial factor for claiming the beginning of a behavior of art, I believe, would have been the ability not just to recognize that something is special, but deliberately to set out to make something special” (Page 23). That is to say it is art to make something special. For example, like chef in Michelin stars, they try to make food special to attract their customers with the highest standards for them, or somehow, they want to appreciate art which created by themselves. Those chefs act as an artist of food. As a result, I think that food is art especially for slow food.
Actually, I do have a question that really confused myself. Originally, I do not believe that fast food is art without analyzing the reason, which means it seems I consider fast food is not art automatically. Is that only because of my personal experience?
Work Sited
When I see the topic of this discussion, it just reminds me of a lot of things. Personally, food is art. I grow up in a small city in China, China has a lot of different type of food from different area. Those food that cooked in different style and different flavor is really attractive. For example, different fish have to be cooked in different style. Some of them need to be fried, some of them need to be steamed. Then they would have different flavors and taste great. The author says, “Both an original recipe and an actual dish (a particular performance of a recipe, as it were) are works of art if they are regarded aesthetically” (Page 17). In that case, the author just believes that recipe and dish art works of art. I think it may because the dish or recipes are special and beautiful which may attract people very well.
However, I do not think fast food is art. Because they cooked only by machines and some other chemical factors, some of them even lose the original flavors of themselves. For example, like hamburger that mentioned in the “Fast food video” (first video presentation), the beef just came from “hundreds of different cattle, raised as many as five country, and grounded together”. Those meat may not delegated, and they cooked by machines, they lose the nutrition and become unhealthy in the fast food chain. Therefore, I do not think that fast food is art, because they cooked by machine, and cooked without the design of chef or artist.
According to Ellen Dissanayake’s essay, “The crucial factor for claiming the beginning of a behavior of art, I believe, would have been the ability not just to recognize that something is special, but deliberately to set out to make something special” (Page 23). That is to say it is art to make something special. For example, like chef in Michelin stars, they try to make food special to attract their customers with the highest standards for them, or somehow, they want to appreciate art which created by themselves. Those chefs act as an artist of food. As a result, I think that food is art especially for slow food.
Actually, I do have a question that really confused myself. Originally, I do not believe that fast food is art without analyzing the reason, which means it seems I consider fast food is not art automatically. Is that only because of my personal experience?
Hi, Yiran
I appreciate your understanding of the definition of art. I also agree that the food which is made aesthetically can be considered as a work of art. I think only when the food is made delicious and smell good, can the food be called art. Moreover, in order to judgment whether food is art, we should also take the makers’ intention into consideration. If the makers take the food as art and want to cook it as an art, the food can be considered as art. As the many of Chinese food is cooked with the consideration of being an art by the makers, the food can be considered as art.
As for the fast food, I do not think we say fast food is not art generally. Let’s take hamburger as example. There is no doubt that we can say the hamburger which is made completely by machine is not art. But the hamburger which is made completely by human being and when making, the cook treat the hamburger as a piece of art. The hamburger tastes and smells good. This kind of hamburger can be considered as art. In conclusion, we should not judge the food generally, but should use our judgment to decide on each specific matter.
Shelly
Hi, Shelly!
Thank you for your response. I think you are definitely right about the opinion for the fast food. I think I might miss the point which is as you said ” But the hamburger which is made completely by human being and when making, the cook treat the hamburger as a piece of art. The hamburger tastes and smells good. This kind of hamburger can be considered as art. ” I just remember my brother really like fried chicken wings, and when we make chicken wings at home, we always shape those chicken wings at the end and then put them to the plate. But when we eat outside, the chef will use some special and beautiful plate to make this dish more attractive. Fried Chicken wings may not very healthy, but when they are homemade, or made by a lot of attention, that would be consider as art.
Your comments are really helpful! Thank you so much!
Hi, Yiran
I appreciate your understanding of the definition of art. I also agree that the food which is made aesthetically can be considered as a work of art. I think only when the food is made delicious and smell good, can the food be called art. Moreover, in order to judgment whether food is art, we should also take the makers’ intention into consideration. If the makers take the food as art and want to cook it as an art, the food can be considered as art. As the many of Chinese food is cooked with the consideration of being an art by the makers, the food can be considered as art.
As for the fast food, I do not think we say fast food is not art generally. Let’s take hamburger as example. There is no doubt that we can say the hamburger which is made completely by machine is not art. But the hamburger which is made completely by human being and when making, the cook treat the hamburger as a piece of art. The hamburger tastes and smells good. This kind of hamburger can be considered as art. In conclusion, we should not judge the food generally, but should use our judgment to decide on each specific matter.
Shelly