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Module 5: Paper Cultural Event

Carlos Cumbe
02/21/20

For this assignment, I wanted to attend a cultural event that is related to a

culture or ethnic group that is different from our Hispanic culture and I wanted to

experience this event with my parents. Due to our conflicting schedules, we

decided to try a new type of food that we have never really tried before. We

decided to go out for dinner and try out Indian cuisine. We came across an

authentic restaurant that served seasonal Indian ingredients with contemporary

cooking techniques. The name of the restaurant is Indian Cuisine Aashirwad and

is located in the heart of Orlando, FL. They are known for their “diverse mixture of

flavors and tastes that reflect a variety of cultures, racial structures, geography

and climate” (www.aashirwadrestaurant.com).

As we walked inside the restaurant we noticed a diverse amount of

customers that were enjoying their dinner. Instantly we were able to smell a wide

variety of aromatic spices that we are not used to. My parents and I agreed to

order a variety of foods to try different dishes. Since we looked a little lost we

asked Ankitta, our server for some recommendations. She was very patient

explaining the different types of dishes they had and the different levels of

spiciness. Because we are accustomed and its part of our own culture to eat

spicy food we were comfortable ordering spicy food, but if you can’t handle spicy

levels I would not recommend this type of food. We ordered chicken tikka

masala, adraki lamb chop, and laal maas. She also suggested ordering their
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traditional flatbread, which is called Naan. When our food was served we noticed

how all three dishes were served in the middle of our table with three empty

plates. “Indian culture highly encourages sharing food with others, it is customary

to share your dish with others” (Jain, R. Indian Dining Etiquette). This is a

different norm that we were able to identify compared to our culture. I personally

found this very interesting because that way we were able to try multiple dishes

and sharing food creates a bonding. We found ourselves talking about the

different flavors, textures, and spicy levels that each dish had.

Furthermore, we learned that “Indians don’t usually use cutlery for eating

food, they prefer eating with their fingers” (Jain, R. Indian Dining Etiquette). We

did not eat with our bare hands as we were in a restaurant but it is something we

are open to trying in the future when the opportunity presents itself. There is also

a saying that eating with your own hands, food tastes so much better. My

reaction to this idea was shocking because it contradicted everything that I

learned growing up and how to properly use utensils. I did a little research and

found out that “according to Hindu texts, eating with hands feeds not only the

body but also the mind and the spirit. It provides digestion and the individual

becomes more aware of the taste, texture, and the smell of the food” (Chandra,

N. University of Delhi). Exposing and trying new customs and new foods have

increased my intercultural competency and awareness of other cultures.

“Effective intercultural communications is a required competency for every

professional” (Griffin, T. p.173). I believe it has increased my intercultural

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competency because I learned the values behind sharing a meal within the

Indian culture because it is a gesture of respect and honor, especially if you are a

guest in their home. As well as if I’m visiting India for business, it will not be so

shocking if I come across others eating with their bare hands, in fact in order to fit

in and join others for a meal I know the reason why they would eat with their bare

hands.

In addition, I also learned that when dining in India, eating with your left

hand it is considered a sin. “Indians consider the use of the left hand to be

unclean and offensive” (Jain, R. Indian Dining Etiquette). This increases my

awareness, as it is something I will be more conscious of because I would hate to

be offensive to their culture when sharing a meal. “With enhanced knowledge of

intercultural communication, you can become a more effective listener, speaker,

team member, and leader” (Griffin, T. p.174). In fact, I will be more conscious

when eating with people from different parts of the world, as there are so many

etiquette norms that I’m not aware of and can cause conflict. I have also gained

insight into intercultural team development because if I do share a meal with my

team and they are from India, I can show respect to their culture by enhancing

what I learned from this experience and practicing these norms.

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Documentation:
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References:

Jain, Richa. “India Dining Etiquette: The Dos and Don'ts.” Culture Trip, The
Culture Trip, 22 Jan. 2018, theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/india-dining-
etiquette-the-dos-and-donts/.

Chandra, Neha, and University of Delhi. “6 Unique Food Related Customs

Followed in India.” Spoon University, 28 Apr. 2017,
spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/6-unique-food-related-customs-followed-in-india.

Moore, G.T. (2008) Effective Intercultural Communication. Chapter 7 in Effective

Multicultural Teams: Theory and Practice. ASU Library Electronic Collection.