Food Studies

This text by Zhen (Culinary Institute of America) lives up to its goal of “serv[ing] as a broad-ranging interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary introduction to the field of Food Studies” (p. 181) … [The] guide is accessible to all readers interested in food, from its production to its consumption, over time and across different cultures and traditions … Summing Up: Essential. All levels. * CHOICE *Willa Zhen’s book is fun! This introductory text to food studies encourages ‘hand-on’ learning of concepts from commensality to food systems with the help of scavenger hunts, seed bombs, growing sprouts, and more. Do the learning and enjoy. – Anna C. Bellows, Syracuse University, USAThe field needs an introductory survey textbook like this. The hands-on activities address an important component missing from most of the work in this field that values text over material. – Jonathan Deutsch, Drexel University, USAThis book fills a niche in the growing food studies realm. The pedagogical features are wonderful and likely to stimulate a lot of discussion. – John T. Lang, Occidental College, USAA simple and effective introduction to food studies, and a great resource for structuring class sessions in a way that encourages student engagement. * Charlotte Maberly, Queen Margaret University, UK *

Willa Zhen is Professor of Liberal Arts and Food Studies at The Culinary Institute of America, USA.