"If I sacrifice my work, it dies"

The other night I had sushi and I thought about how authentic the sushi really was. If the sushi chef had to struggle with the decision to keep it the way he had it as a child and in his country or change it to be more appetizing to the Americans he’s serving.

Watching the “Big Night” opened my eyes to the importance of the history of one’s food.  I certainly was aware that most of the ethnic food I ate in restaurants was not the same traditional food that was eaten in other countries, but I suppose I never quite grasp the importance of what their food meant to them.

During the movie I just kept thinking ‘why won’t he stop being so stubborn and just change the dish so he can make in America, and after they make it he can change it later?!” however, when they were cooking for their big feast I realized the history that they had with cooking. They had recipes that they were following and they looked like they were passed down for many years. The food Primo made meant so much more than just something to eat to make it through the day. For him you shouldn’t be distracted when eating your food and it shouldn’t be consumed quickly. When one is eating the food should be all they are focused on, because every meal is a different experience.  By the end of the movie, I admired Primo for being strong-willed and not conforming just to be successful in America. He cared more about his connection to his history (which Secondo was trying to get away from) and knew that by changing his work it could die with him.

The importance of one’s food is much more than just something to eat. It’s family, memories, history. What is your food to you? It's not the easiest question!