Crystallized labor, commodity fetishism, and the logic of food waste in hospitality and tourism

This conceptual paper approaches the phenomenon of food waste in hospitality and tourism through the Marxist theory of labor. It re-interprets labor as a physical process shifting from gaseous intentions and skills to liquid monetary exchange and solid crystallization. In the hospitality and tourism food supply chain, the paper identifies three major strata of actors: farmers, chefs, and customers. Farmers and chefs solidify their labor in food, while customers, rather than producing, reflect or respond to that labor by engaging in commodity fetishism. Alienation arises as labor becomes crystallized and commodified, leading to a disconnection facilitating wastage. Building on the metaphor of annealing, a process softening hardened structures, the paper explores how this alienation might be reversed in different foodservice sectors. It suggests that, by reconnecting customers to the labor embodied in food production and preparation via narrative menus and ethical certification, kitchens can reduce commodity fetishism and minimize waste.