Most people would answer no, but not my little brother.
The story happened when I was in China, trying to get my little brother to sleep by naming every kind of food with (to bore) him and categorising them by types pf cuisines. I started by dumplings, steam buns and all the Chinese food I could think of. My brother interrupted me and said: “and steak.” “No, steak is Western food.” I said. He was shocked to find out that one of his all-time favourites is surprisingly not Chinese.
It’s funny how a Chinese 6-year-old thinks that steak is Chinese food. The reality is, steak along with pizzas and fries are consumed as much as rice and other Chinese dishes by younger generations of Chinese. Also, the food delivery service in China has matured to the point that Chinese people can have steak delivered to their doorstep.
I had steak for breakfast for nearly 6 months when I was 14 although I knew that steak is not Chinese or for breakfast. But hey, it’s in China, we define how we eat these ‘exotic’ food. Unlike how Titi bird was a part of Maori culture because it was not eaten by the Europeans, steak can be a part of modern Chinese cultural phenomenon even if it is originally from Europe. Steak is an important part of my brother’s experience of being Chinese in 2019 and according to him, as important as shrimp wonton and durian pizza.
reference
- [1] Stevens, Michael J. 2006. Kāi Tahu me te Hopu Tītī ki Rakiura: An Exception to the ‘Colonial Rule’? The Journal of Pacific History 41(3):273-291.
It is intriguing to see how food identity is perceived between yourself and your younger brother, there are quite notable distinctions between one another perception of a Chinese meal, even though, you have had a similar upbringing surrounded by western food, predominately steak. I am interested to learn why your family chooses steak to be valued so highly in your meals? Is there particular importance to the dish or just the familiarity and its adaptability in foods which keeps you going back for more?
I think the emergence of steak in Chinese family is more of a passive progress of adapting rather than a conscious choice of preference. The popularity of western food ( not just steaks but all kinds including pizza, fries, pasta, bread and even French baked snails) has become a delicious and convenient alternative for traditional Chinese cuisine, this is especially true in families with younger children as young children would not have the habit or experience of eating only traditional Chinese food for years. This ‘trend’ of eating western food really came in China for the last 20 years when chained brands such as KFC , McDonalds and Pizza Hut started to appear in China. To this date, China is still the biggest market for all of these three brands and their popularities are still rising . This thanks to the wicked mentality among young Chinese and other generation who think that western food belongs to a culture that is exotic and more developed, therefore cooler, more rebel and better than traditional Chinese food .(the very opposite in western world that people want to be cultured and have foreign food) The sensitivity of Chinese history and lack of confidence in different aspects of Chinese culture played a significant role in shaping Chinese people’s way of thinking ,living and eating . Westernisation found its unique way of development in China.