The San José community is unified through a variety of different foods from many cultures. Celebration of culture through food is not overlooked, but encouraged according to the city’s website.
Downtown San José itself has many restaurants, cafes, and bars around the area that serve a variety of cultural cuisines, according to the same website.
Some San José State students shared that it’s nice to be able to go out and find different restaurants with their favorite traditional dishes, but nothing seems to top home-made food from their family.
History senior Archit Mahale identifies as South Asian and said he believes food is an accessible way to spread culture.
Mahale also said his mom’s home-cooked meals are unmatched.
“Whatever restaurant chefs make, it's not gonna be as good as my mom’s,” Mahale said. “I think that’s the general consensus most people have, I hear this a lot from other folks too.”
Management information systems senior Mariana Arellanes, said traditional Mexican recipes are usually generationaly passed down and are a source of comfort for her when made authentically.
Arellanes said that she still celebrates traditional Mexican culture outside of her home with Mexican food, but it’s not the same for her when she’s not surrounded by family.
“People are always talking about this place [Loteria Taco Bar] and they always say, ‘This food is so good,’ and I’m always like, ‘That's not Mexican food,’ ” Arellanes said.
Psychology senior Adriana Sanchez said the authentic Salvadorian dishes her family makes and eats exposes her to flavors that aren’t found with other cuisines.
“It gives you a flavor palette that you can't really get here,” Sanchez said. “I definitely appreciate what my mom and grandma cook for me.”
Civil engineering senior Tommy Asrat said food is important to him because it’s always been a part of his ethnic identity and his Ethiopian traditions and heritage.
Asrat said food is a fundamental part of his identity because it’s essential sustenance.
“It [food] has always been around and as an Ethiopian, if there was no injera [ethiopian flatbread] in the fridge, then it was like there was nothing there to eat,” Asrat said.
International Business sophomore Yong Ooi said cooking familiar Malaysian recipes helps her feel connected to her family.
“When I'm away from home, having those recipes, the ones that my grandparents are willing to share, eating that same food makes me feel more connected to people,” said Ooi. “Especially being here in a place where I don’t have many family members.”
Finance freshman Reggie Dodd said the connection to his culture was strong growing up because his mother cooked him traditional Indian dishes on weekdays and would often eat Dominican food on weekends.
“Both of my parents are immigrants, and they brought all that with them, including other stuff from their cultures but most of it was the food,” Dodd said.
Elvira Rementa, who owns K&J Bakery and Sweets on San Carlos Street in San José said having her business cultivates a piece of home for her here.
Rementa, originally from México, catalyzed her culinary career selling cakes out of her house until her family opened the bakery on April 30.
“Cake is tradition in my culture, cakes always have to be at a party,” Rementa said . “My children have to learn about and understand my culture and where I come from even if it’s through food.”
History major Archit Mahale said food is the key to keeping culture and tradition alive.
He said every person will have a different interpretation of their culture and traditions that will differ from other people’s viewpoints.
“The family recipes we have now might have tasted completely different all that time ago,” Mahale said.
Rementa said American culture changes the connection a person has to their culture as well as the food.
She said many Latinos forget about their roots while living in the U.S., whose work culture differs from that of other countries.
“I think it's because life here in America is all just work, work, work and it makes us lose a bit of our culture being so focused on that,” Rementa said.
Arellanes said after she moved from Mexico to the U.S. she felt like she was not exposed to as many authentic recipes because of the difference in lifestyle between the two countries.
She said her mom’s hometown in Mexico is an old pueblo where the lifestyle is slower and quality in tasks are different.
“I feel like now that we moved here to America I don't know as many recipes because I'm just busy,” said Arellanes. “It's not like back over there with farm culture.”
Most students said they have a favorite comfort dish from their culture.
“Pupusas or platanos, which are like fried plantains, are really good and sweet, and frijoles are always a staple food, cheese and tortillas,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez also said knowing that these are traditional foods passed down for generations gives her a sense of fulfillment.
Dodd had similar favorites but said frijoles have a different name in Dominican Spanish.
“My favorites are plantain chips, very popular in DR. Rice and beans which we call arroz con gandules,” Dodd said.
Electrical engineering senior Easton Abram said his comfort food comes within the U.S., more specifically Atlanta.
“Coming up we all always ate a lot of rice and chicken and meatloaf was my favorite dish,” Abram said.
Mahale said so many of his mother’s recipes hold cultural and sentimental value and it’s something he wants to pass down to his own kids one day.
He said he has not started the process of learning the recipes but knows he should eventually learn to be able to share it
“My mom has been trying to teach me how to make her signature Chai for years and I just keep saying no,” Mahale said.
Asrat said he hopes his kids will feel just as strongly about wanting to connect with their Ethiopian culture as much as he does.
“Even if I don't do it myself my family will, it's hard for me to deny that I’m a second generation American, but I'm not gonna say I'm less Ethiopian because of it,” said Asrat.
Mahale said he believes that whatever food or traditions you continue and add to in your own way still carries the same cultural value.
“Culture is extremely malleable and stretchy, you can stretch it in any way to include yourself.”
