How a region eats gives great insight into the narratives that make up its cultural identity and its intersection with landscape and biome. But, what happens when ‘native cuisine’ becomes so codified in the public imagination that it subjugates or acculturizes the narratives of historically marginalized or newly arrived groups? What do we miss out on when high-end cuisine must be imported cuisine?

Are 'new' cuisines necessary to keep cuisine dynamic instead of static? Is New Nordic cuisine a bellwhether for where we're heading? What were the failings of 'fusion' that made it more of a trend than a matter of course? How can Texas, as a region, proceed beyond the romantic cowboy image?