Consuming tradition: Selling culinary authenticity in Crazy Rich Asians and The Farewell

This paper examines the ways in which food is utilised in two Asian American films, Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and The Farewell (2019), to explore themes of cultural identity, family dynamics, and the commodification of ethnic traditions. While Crazy Rich Asians employs what scholars Laura Lindenfeld and Fabio Parasecoli term as “food porn” aesthetics, catering to a Westernised gaze and emphasizing wealth and spectacle, The Farewell adopts a more restrained approach, presenting food as a symbol of family tradition and cultural continuity. Both films engage with the concept of authenticity, but where Crazy Rich Asians commodifies it through stylized exoticism, The Farewell appears to sell tradition by depicting food as a static artifact of cultural heritage. This paper argues that despite their different visual strategies, both films navigate the tension between food as a marker of cultural identity and its role in commercial marketing, revealing the complexities of authenticity in the portrayal of Asian American experiences. The paper further reflects on the significance of these food scenes within the broader context of production (financing, national branding, and the food industry), and how they shape audience and critical responses. Arguing that food scenes in both films need to be situated within these broader connections and significations—rather than simply debating which film depicts food more “authentically”—the paper highlights the complex role food plays in the commodification of cultural authenticity and its impact on both Asian and non-Asian audiences.