Seminar - October 2017

Mens' Cookbooks in the 20th Century

Dr Gerry Groot, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, Department of Asian Studies, University of Adelaide

For our October seminar, the Food Values Research Group is pleased to present Dr Gerry Groot.

This presentation discusses the ways that men’s cookbooks in English have been treated in the academic literature to-date, and by noting the trends and themes reflected in them, goes far in refuting the implications that they were about confining women to the household or imposing stereotypes. Clearly male chauvinist cookbooks are a recent phenomenon, while entreaties to men to help reduce the burdens on wives, or calls to develop culinary skills to seduce women, were the main impetus.

When: Tuesday, 3rd of October, 1-2 PM

Where: Ira Raymond Room, Barr Smith Library, North Terrace Campus, University of Adelaide (click here for campus map)

Gerry Groot normally teaches, researches and writes on Chinese politics particularly united front work, social change, soft power and Asian influences on the world both past and present. However, exposure to the Masters in Gastronomy course at the University of Adelaide prompted him to also become active as a collector of Chinese cookbooks and related materials. During the course of his searches, he noticed some cookbooks aimed at men, and began collecting these also. Inspired, or upset about some writings about some of his collected titles, Gerry began analysing these men’s cookbooks to determine the way gender was used. His 500 or so Chinese cookbooks, remain languishing on the shelf.