Newsweek: 'What London's Shifting Fast Food Culture Says About Immigration and Identity'

Culture, Media, General Food Media and News
#1

Newsweek writes about Dr. Alex Rhys-Taylor, a London Ph.D. in sociology who explores food origins in his 2017 book,"**Food and Multiculture: A Sensory Ethnography of East London.*" 'He uses smell, taste, and other senses to explore how people of all ethnicities and classes intermingle in the city," according to Newsweek.

He has also written about jellied eels, haggis pakora and an olfactory history of London.

Linked below are the 5/6/17 Newsweek article, a six-minute youtube video, a book description and downloadable papers written by Rhys-Taylor.

http://www.newsweek.com/brexit-immigration-eu-immigration-food-history-scene-london-583775

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgz3pnuSAvs

http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/food-and-multiculture-9781472581181/

http://goldsmiths.academia.edu/AlexRhysTaylor

#2

I think the answer to the question posed is “very little”.

And perhaps even that very little highlights that London is a different country to the rest of the UK.

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#3

I’m confused by the fried chicken references. What dark forces yearn for
this treat? Do they serve mashed potatoes and gravy?
One would have trouble in America if they dissed fried chicken as it holds a place alongside ice cream and apple pie.

#4

I have absolutely no wish to be thought of as the forum’s UK fried chicken expert.

But let’s see where we go. In the beginning, there was KFC. And then there has been the growth of copycat fried chicken places. Many of them deeply unpleasant, insanitary places that often seem to come to the attention of the health inspectors. It would be a rare TV programme that investigated unpleasant fast food outlets that did not include at least one chicken place. In amongst the several “Indian” takeaways in the village where I live, there is the chicken place. That’s “Alaska Fried Chicken”. Not that, as far as I am aware, the northernmost state is known for its chicken. I could probably look through the phone directory for the metro area and find several other states mentioned, preceeding “Fried Chicken”. Now, I can’t tell you what the fried chicken is like at Alaska Fried Chicken coz, even if you paid me and paid for my dinner, I’m not walking through the door. But it does offer gravy. No mashed potato - carbs are hash browns, chips or naan bread.

#5

Hi Harters and bbqboy,

After some digging, I found this short 2-minute video of Dr Rhys-Taylor talking about fried chicken shops:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mis8tzLu2Q4

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#6

or maybe Rhys-Taylor is trying to give context to the Pengest Munch videos by the Chicken Connoisseur who has 28 million youtube hits on his series of reviews of British fried chicken shops:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0_1g5FVYAc

https://www.eater.com/2016/12/9/13899816/chicken-connoisseur-uk-food-critic

4 Likes
#7

I associate fried chicken aromas and hickory smoked BBQ as pleasurable and comforting
moments of my youth and that extends to today. I’d be in trouble sounds like.
Interesting.
That kid’s a star. :smile:

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#8

I agree- I didn’t glean much from this article.

#9

I wonder if its because its the lowest skilled take away food and so can be done cheaply by anyone…?

I think there are now some good places in London - “craft chicken” to go with the craft beer - especially those with a Korean influence, Jamaican or US influence and quality focus. Its almost as though fried chicken bottomed out and the hipsters are bringing it back on trend - like burgers and dogs have.

#10

This is adorable! Good find. I’m going to share it with FTC; they are fried chicken fiends over there. :slight_smile:

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#11

Undoubtably.

#12

I like this kid! Would rather watch him than Anthony Bourdain any day of the week!

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“Food is a pretty good prism through which to view humanity.”

― Jonathan Gold