The history of food fusion

Fusion cuisine or food fusion has been on the rise in recent years. Indeed, it does not only appeal to catering professionals, but also to private individuals. Currently, it is a reference as a mixed cuisine, because it mixes two or more dishes of different origins. At first glance, one might think it is a modern-day dish. However, this is not the case. Indeed, food fusion has been around for a long time.

The birth of food fusion

Before knowing the history of food fusion, it is necessary to know that it is the art of combining several dishes to obtain a subtle and delicate flavour. This practice already existed in the Middle Ages. At that time, war and migration facilitated exchanges between several communities. This interaction was at the origin of the association between different dishes. This is the case of the famous "rice with smoked fish and spices", which is a mixture of Indian know-how and British culinary tradition. Macau is also a perfect example. It is a marriage between Chinese and Portuguese cuisine.

Origin of the term "food fusion

Although the appearance of food fusion was already known for a long time, it owes its name to an American chef, known as "Van Aken". He was passionate about gastronomy and used the word to describe the flavour combination he created in the 1980s. Experienced, he had learned to cook off the beaten track, especially as a self-taught chef. He didn't hesitate to merge many ingredients and flavours to create a unique dish with a variety of tastes. This first fusion of dishes was mainly based on Latin American, Caribbean and Asian cuisine.

The development of food fusion

Since the success of the first culinary combination, food fusion has developed with globalization. New mixed dishes have emerged, such as ramen wings. But the most impressive remains the famous cronut, a Viennese pastry that mixes the croissant (of French origin) and the donut (an American delicacy). Recently, some unusual dishes have made the headlines on social networks. These include pizza cupcakes, which awaken the taste buds, and mouth-watering tex-mex spaghetti. In any case, food fusion is currently a type of cuisine to be experimented with, in order to discover several flavours in a single dish.