'It's like having your cake and eating it too.' The fate of culinary traditions in the modern world

This thesis examines the food traditions of 31 people from diverse backgrounds who live in Brunswick, Victoria. It argues, in contrast to some current sociological projections that see modern food systems eroding traditions, that many culinary traditions remain important in contemporary societies. The empirical data provides important insights into the various roles culinary traditions play for both collective and individual identity. It also shows that culinary traditions are not static and often undergo profound transformations. This brings an additional benefit to our understanding of the way intercultural interactions take place in everyday contexts in multicultural contexts.