Culinary Diplomacy – A Theoretical Inquiry: The Case of Israeli Chefs in Berlin and London

Culinary diplomacy is defined as the use of cuisine as an instrument to create cross-cultural understanding in the hopes of improving interactions and cooperation between international and local actors. Its theory has so far examined agents in national aspects only, with the actor always being affiliated to the state. This paper focuses on the question of whether Israeli-immigrant chefs have become independent agents engaged in the establishment of culinary diplomacy among themselves and within the field in which they operate? Examining if actors are no longer solely linked to the state, will allow my research to point out the representations and language that chefs choose to use is a diplomatic tool for conveying messages and ideas that sometimes are contrary to national interests. This study will focus on the role of Israeli-immigrant chefs as actors in London and Berlin, two European cities that are now the major examples of the space where culinary diplomacy takes place. By doing so, it aims at expanding the culinary diplomacy theory with the introduction of cuisine as an instrument for chefs as significant global actors, to promote political ideas and interests. With the use of critical discourse analysis my research will attempt to deconstruct common political narratives, using the term “Culinary Diplomacy” for narrow political interests. There by, this research will give its contribution in theorizing Culinary Diplomacy while using broader Diplomacy and International Relations theories.