The Gastrodiplomacy Series – Part 1

Gastrodiplomacy is a subset of public diplomacy that uses food as a means of persuading audiences about the power of cuisine to promote specific foreign policy goals (Forman: 2024). Quoting from Dictionary.com, gastrodiplomacy (n.) is a strategic promotion of a nation’s cuisine to build diplomatic connections and favorable public relations for that nation, such as by funding grants to open restaurants, create food-oriented workshops, publish cookbooks, etc. In Southeast Asia, Thailand and Malaysia were the first two countries that focused on gastrodiplomacy. The term started to emerge in 2002, after a program launched by the government of Thailand to promote its cuisine abroad named Global Thai.

Thailand’s National Dish, Pad Thai. Source: Freepik.

As part of this campaign, Pad Thai, one of Thailand’s cuisines elevated as Thailand’s national dish, as well as a global ambassador for Thai Cuisine. This campaign was released as part of the strategy of boosting Thailand’s power in global markets as Thai cuisine is highly popular worldwide.

The Global Thai program works by providing financial incentives for Thai nationals to open restaurants in foreign countries. As mentioned before, the purpose of gastrodiplomacy is to use food and cuisine to build diplomatic connections and promote specific diplomatic foreign policy. As an increasingly influential form of public diplomacy, gastrodiplomacy demonstrates the “soft” power of the plate to address some of the enduring challenges people face, from climate change to conflict to global migration (Forman: 2024). Gastrodiplomacy is practiced by both states and private citizens, making it easier to reach wider audiences & targets.

Another campaign that blooms in Thailand’s gastrodiplomacy is “Thailand: Kitchen of The World”. This campaign correlates and provides the foundation for “The Global Thai” program. While the two campaigns refer to the increasing popularity of Thai cuisine, “The Global Thai” focuses on emphasizing the internationalization and the spread of Thai cuisine worldwide. On other hand, “Thailand: Kitchen of The World” highlights Thailand’s culinary heritage, recipe and its diverse food products. The two campaigns have different outcomes regarding its respective objectives. 

“The Global Thai” and “Thailand: Kitchen of The World” are closely intertwined and play a crucial role in Thailand’s successful gastrodiplomacy. “Thailand: Kitchen of The World” as the foundation for “The Global Thai” expresses the abundance and diversity of Thai dishes and cuisines, the uniqueness of Thai cuisine ingredients, and Thailand’s role as a major food products exporter. 

Left to Right: Thailand Kitchen of The World & Thai SELECT Logo.

“The Global Thai” as the extensive campaign of Thailand’s gastrodiplomacy essences the growing popularity of Thai cuisine. The main objectives of this program are to support the establishment of authentic Thai restaurants worldwide and the incorporation of Thai ingredients to global fusion and cuisine, expressing the ability of Thailand’s ingredients and cuisine to cater to global tastes. “The Global Thai” has its key component of the program, a certification program launched by the Thai government namely Thai SELECT. The certification program was initiated to ensure the quality and promote the authenticity of Thai cuisines.

Thai SELECT adheres to specific guidelines set by the Thai Department of Tourism including authenticity, quality, service, and atmosphere. Restaurants with Thai SELECT certification gain enhanced credibility and attract more customers who seek authentic Thai dining experiences. To qualify, restaurants must be open at least five days a week, employ government-trained Thai chefs, and use genuine Thai products, to guarantee an authentic taste of Thai cuisine. With the recognizable Thai SELECT logo, customers obtain brand awareness for Thai cuisine globally.

In Malaysia’s gastrodiplomacy journey, a program called “The Malaysia Kitchen for the World Programme” or MKP began in 2006. This government-led program was refined and assigned to the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) in late 2009. MKP ended in 2015. The purpose of this initiative was to brand Malaysia through their cuisine and supporting the entrance of Malaysian food products and as a ‘halal hub’. This is especially targeted to the US, UK, China, and Australia.

 

Left to right: Malaysia Kitchen for The World (MKP) Logo and Adam Liaw, winner of Australia Master Chef 2010 at MKP 2016. Source: MalaysiaKitchenNZ Youtube Channel.

Restaurants under MKP gain financial support and prior market research from the state-owned Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank). They also have consultation on restauranteering, network, and guidance on promotion. One method of promoting MKP was through partnerships with international hotels, held culinary events in the targeted countries, and celebrity chefs.

In Malaysia Kitchen for the World 2010 in New York, there were several sets of programs during the event. Starting from the official website, malaysiakitchennyc.com serves information and education on Malaysian restaurants and nearby campaigns. There were also Malaysian Restaurant Week, Malaysian Week, and Malaysian Food Truck. These three agenda aims to bring New Yorkers closer to Malaysian food and cultural events. Chef education, press tips, advertising, and media relations & restaurant reviews also supported many Malaysian restaurants during the Malaysia Kitchen for the World 2010.

Left to right: Rick Stein at MKP of New Zealand in 2011 and Datuk Zakaria Sulong at MKP 2010 in New York. Source: MalaysiaKitchenNZ Youtube Channel, Caroline artiss Youtube Channel.

With different objectives and approaches done by Thailand and Malaysia in their gastrodiplomacy attempt, the outputs also come out differently. While Thailand focuses on investment, product-focused strategy, authentic certification, and support from the government for the establishment of Thai restaurants globally, Malaysia generally puts the scope into a fun approach in introducing and promoting Malaysian food and culture. They were also giving loans for Malaysians overseas to open Malaysian restaurants.

According to data from the Department of Thailand Foreign Trade, there are currently 17,478 Thai restaurants worldwide, with the US leading the count at around  6,850, making up for 39% of all Thai restaurants abroad. Moreover, there are 1,546 restaurants that have been awarded Thai SELECT certification worldwide. The Global Thai Campaign has significantly contributed to the growth of tourism in Thailand. Between 2001 and 2019, the number of visitors rose approximately from 10 million to 39.8 million. By 2019, Thailand was the eighth most visited country in the world. In 2021, Thailand ranked as the thirteenth largest food exporter globally. Thailand is also known as the first Southeast Asian country to open more than 10.000 restaurants worldwide.

As a result of Malaysia’s gastrodiplomacy attempt, MKP was able to increase the number of Malaysian restaurants worldwide from 454 to 647 restaurants in just three years (a 29.8% increase). Australia became Malaysia’s 4th largest export destination for processed food in 2016. Nasi lemak was even recognized as a healthy international breakfast by TIME Magazine. Survey by the ASEAN-Japan Centre shows that 33.1% of tourists come to Malaysia for the food ingredients and cuisine. In 2022, 35.1% of the Malaysian workforce are for the food and beverage sector. The high halal standards in Malaysia also contributed to 2.12 million Muslim travelers visiting Malaysia in 2023, contributing in expanding the halal economy.

With different approaches in gastrodiplomacy attempts, both Thailand and Malaysia gained a substantial amount of reach for culinary, tourism, and diplomacy. Gastrodiplomacy not only granted the two countries higher popularity in authentic cuisines and food products, but also increased the visits in cultural events and tourism to respective countries.

 

References

Dictionary.com. Gastrodiplomacy. Accessed on October 14, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/gastrodiplomacy

Domrongchai, A. (2023, February 1). You think you understand Thai culture because you eat at Thai restaurants? think again. Food & Wine. https://www.foodandwine.com/why-are-there-so-many-thai-restaurants-7104115 

Forman, J. M. (2024). Gastrodiplomacy. Oxford Research Encyclopedias, Food Studies. Accessed on October 14, 2024. Retrieved from: https://oxfordre.com/foodstudies/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780197762530.001.0001/acrefore-9780197762530-e-18

Joyce, J. (2024). Boost soft power with gastrodiplomacy. Retrieved from https://thesun.my/opinion-news/boost-soft-power-with-gastrodiplomacy-BC12237273#google_vignette 

MATRADE Confirms Status of Malaysian Kitchen Programme’s Ambassador. (2016). MATRADE. Retrieved from https://www.matrade.gov.my/en/about-matrade/media/press-releases/press-releases-2022/146-press-releases-2016/3408-matrade-confirms-status-of-malaysian-kitchen-programme-s-ambassador 

Michelle, M., & Baskoro, R. (2022). A lesson learned from pioneer of gastrodiplomacy: Strategies of utilizing  nation brand by the country of white elephants through the Global Thai campaign. AEGIS : Journal of International Relations, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.33021/aegis.v6i1.3469 

Nahar, Naili & Ab Karim, Muhammad & Karim, Roselina & Mohd Ghazali, Hasanah & Krauss, Steven. (2018). c. 10. 42-58. 

Nationthailand. Commerce Ministry launches new theme to promote Thai Foods Overseas. (2024, January 7). https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40034470 

PR Newswire. (2010). ‘Malaysia Kitchen for the World 2010’ Campaign Launched to Promote Malaysian Restaurants and Cuisine in the New York Metro Area. Accessed on October 14, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/malaysia-kitchen-for-the-world-2010-campaign-launched-to-promote-malaysian-restaurants-and-cuisine-in-the-new-york-metro-area-87148567.html

Safronova, V. (2024, January 23). Kitchen diplomacy: How governments use food as a soft power. The Parliament Magazine. https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/food-diplomacy-gastrodiplomacy-europe  

Thomas, J. (2019). ASEAN’s delicious food is a goldmine. Retrieved from https://theaseanpost.com/article/aseans-delicious-food-goldmine

Zhang, J. (2015). The Foods of the Worlds:Mapping and Comparing Contemporary Gastrodiplomacy Campaigns. International Journal of Communication. (p. 13 – 15)