Chefs and Restaurants

What's Authenticity, Anyway?

Chandra Ram

Can a dish with roots in another country's cuisine ever be authentic when made in America? Does it even matter? These chefs debate the merits of chasing authenticity in their food.

I think ‘authenticity’ has lost its meaning. It’s a weird word. People say their food is authentic, and then you go in and it’s Tex-Mex, or something else. What I do is more traditional, classic Mexican food. Traditional food is good...