Introduction

Nowadays people like to travel and traveling could be divided into several fields such as
literature, culinary, art, and politics. Whenever people are traveling, food is always involved
as food is essential need in our life. Nowadays, social media has become an essential in
marketing strategy (Zeng & Gerritsen, 2014). Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram provide the quickest access to the celebrity. Fast grow on other celebrity chefs
following the footsteps of celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Rachael Ray, Gordon Ramsay
by using the advantages of social media, internet, and present-day innovation (Clarke et al.,
2016). Society is increasingly obsessed with pictures, and celebrities’ chef’s help confirms
the saying we eat with an eye first. With active social media today, there is an increased
chance of the audience admiring celebrities. This paper investigates how celebrity chefs
could influence society on social, cultural, environmental, and political issues that inspired
them to take certain actions.

Social Issues

Back in the old days, woman places are in the kitchen but after a few periods, the woman
still struggles with dominating the professional kitchen. According to Michelin-stared chef
Tom Kerridge, employees are being put under pressure, elements on completing jobs in a
short period which is the reason a fewer number of female chef in the culinary industry
(Warhust, 2014). One female chef made it possible is Angela Hartnett, who is Britain leading
female chef, earned her first Michelin star in 2004, and ex-apprenticeship of the loud, rude,
and harsh kitchen of famous Michelin chef Gordon Ramsay. Harnett describes the working
environment as “Vietnam” where she worked 17hours a day, 6days a week (Kelly &
Harrison, 2016) and she continued working with Gordon for the past 17 years which she
gains full appreciation and inspiration for other females who dream to be a professional
chef. Angela Hartnett’s achievement was exceptional; she proved that female could be a
chef in the male-dominated restaurant kitchen without becoming one of them and being
the first female to win the Ayala SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year Award in 2018. In
addition to her winning, she mentions it is so good to see an increasing number of female
chefs nowadays and it’s changing for the better (SquareMeal, 2018).

Cultural Issues

As countries like Singapore is famous for its multicultural population of Chinese, Malay,
Indian and Eurasian ancestry. All this ethnic population came from different backgrounds
bringing various food cultures that bring the harmony of Singapore. The requirement for
proceeding and saving legacy food is seen as an advantage in keeping up with neighborhood
food culture even with outside homogenizing pressure (Mac, 2018) Therefore, food heritage
of traditional food has become a UNESCO’s important strategy to raise food heritage
recognition (Di Fiore, 2019). For example, Damian D’Silva who has spent 20 years recreating
his childhood dishes that has vanished from Singapore local table. He opened a restaurant
called Folklore in 2017 with a concept of bringing casual and approachable soul food of
Eurasian and Peranakan dishes which earned him a spotlight to be MasterChef Singapore
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judging panel (AsiaTatler, 2017). As he mentions during the interview with CNA Singapore
(2018), his passion for cooking came from his granddad which allowed him to observe his
way of cooking. According to Damian D’Silva customer experience, the customer does not
seem to welcome the price paid by an individual who presents heritage food. He thinks
Singapore has not lost their identity, they just forgot who they are and lost the flavor of
their heritage food.

Environmental Issues

The increasing population and modernization have caused a rise in demand for food variety.
Food production and consumption have given impacts on climate, alteration to
undernourishment, social, and environmental issues (Mason & Lang, 2017). Amidst the
principle of nutrition, food proteins from plants contain high nutritional value and
environmentally friendly (Henchion et al., 2017). Besides helping the environment, plant-
based consumption help to lessen body fat even there’s the intention of reducing the food
portion ( Kahleova et al., 2018). As an author of a vegan cookbook, Isa Chandra Moskowitz
began to show herself a celebrity chef on established cooking shows which gained more
popularity. During her fame, Moskowitz creates a website www.thePPK.com where she will
gather online vegan cooking communities whereby they could submit recipes and share
some ideas. At some points her shows do no air anymore, her website still grows and her
message boards are overflowing with comments of the active vegan community (Flowers &
Swan, 2016). She mentions in her book Vegan with a Vengeance (2015), avoids the
consumption of convenience food will help you to save money and support local farmers.
For Moskowitz, prepare and consume the plant-based product is an act towards sustainable
and healthy living at the same time prove that quit eating animal products and supporting
big business can be done.

Political Issues

Food waste is a sort of natural waste that originated from various sources like cafes, family,
cafeteria, and preparing plants, adding to a critical of civil waste (Kiran et al., 2014). Food
waste requires legitimate administration and reusing strategy to limit its ecological weight
and danger to human life. Food is considered an everyday component of living and as
common as to great extent working external a political economy. By the twenty-first
century, people purchase more convenience food at home which causes loss of traditional
cooking skills (Aschemann-Witzel, 2018). For owner and Chef Dan Barber for good food
involves eco-friendly agricultural creation and waste could include lack of land, eatable issue
of food consumptions. Regardless of the overproduction of food, millions of the population
still suffer from malnutrition and food shortages. In March 2015, Dan Barber set up wastED
for 3weeks inside his restaurant Blue Hills partner up with several agricultural businesses to
supply and reinvent food ingredients that they considered as waste / spoiled (Justin & Anna,
2018). Diner comments on the brilliant quality and taste of his food, he abused benefactor’s
desires by foreseeing trash and convey something flavorful. WastED manage to change
consumer eyes on food and waste and encourage consumer on making food decision based
on influence or commonsense rules.

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Conclusion

This essay help to relate how impactful chef towards the issues raised which can be seen
most chef help to bring positive changes to society. Although different chefs using different
methods of communications such as books, websites, stores however message being
conveyed was clear and society could learn and practice it in the future. Furthermore, few
chefs prefer to support behind the scenes by working in their restaurant which includes
cooking or launch a pop-up sustainable store to create awareness and communicate with
consumers further regarding the value and benefits of their actions. What motivates chefs
to do certain actions is through their individual qualities and conviction. This research shows
that chefs have a powerful impact on bringing changes to society as they are being
passionate and strong towards their goals. As being mentioned by Moskowitz (2015) avoid
the consumption of convenience products and consume sustainable based food will help to
create healthy living and supporting local business. Not only does the consumption of
sustainable products benefit individuals but it also helps to change the world for a better
place to live by reducing the methane produced by animals that could destroy the world
ozone layer. It can be seen through Dan Barber’s effort on changing “waste” perception by
creating delicious and flavorful dishes through ingredients that are still partly consumable.
Dan Barber had open the audience’s minds to the definition of “waste” means and
transforms our behavior to reduce food waste. In conclusion, chefs are using their image
and information they obtain as media to influence society for the benefit of future
generations.

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