From Odessa to “Little Odessa”: Migration of Food and Myth

Abstract

National cuisine represents an important part of our identity. Being able to cook or eat familiar foods when living abroad becomes nearly as important as being able to use one’s mother tongue. This article discusses the phenomenon of Odessan cuisine both in Odessa and in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, a Russian-speaking enclave where more than 10,000 ex-Soviet citizens, many of whom were Odessans. The aim of the study is to explore the migration of the Odessan culinary tradition, the gastropoetic aspect of Odessan food narration and the embodiment of the myth of Odessa in food discourse. The study analyses the websites, social media, the menus of two restaurants labelling themselves as Odessan, and the clients’ comments related to said restaurants. The gastropoetic aspect of Odessan culinary tradition is presented through examples from the literary works of Odessan authors.