While writing my evaluative report, I reflected on the feedback from my interventions and their connections to the theories previously mentioned, such as Social Identity Theory, Cultural Adaptation Theory, and Food Memory research. These theories provided a strong foundation for my study, while my interventions further illustrated how they manifest in the cultural adaptation processes of migrant youth.

First, I believe that Tajfel and Turner’s Social Identity Theory (1986) was fully reflected in my interventions. During the first intervention, participants selected and shared ingredients that symbolised their hometown culture. This not only demonstrated their cultural identity but also reinforced it through cross-cultural exchange. Meanwhile, through these interactions, participants expressed that they were able to re-examine their cultural identity and gain a sense of belonging and confidence from others’ interest in their culture. This aligns with Social Identity Theory’s emphasis on how group behaviours strengthen one’s self-concept.

Second, Berry’s Cultural Adaptation Theory (1997) provided a framework for understanding how migrants balance assimilation and integration. In both interventions, participants demonstrated different ways of adapting to their new environment through food. For example, they mentioned how modifying traditional recipes allowed them to preserve their cultural traditions while incorporating elements from their new surroundings. Such process of cultural integration showcases creativity and highlights how adaptation is a reconstruction of cultural identity. Moreover, the discussion sessions during the interventions guided participants to reflect on the emotional challenges and dynamic balance involved in cultural adaptation, providing practical validation of Berry’s theory.

Furthermore, Sutton (2001) and Lupton (1994)’s research on Food Memory also deeply reflected in the interventions. Both interventions revealed that familiar flavours and aromas could evoke participants’ memories of home and family, alleviating feelings of loneliness in the new environment. This story sharing was not only a personal experience but also transformed into a cross-cultural resonance through sharing and interaction. In the second intervention, participants discovered shared cultural values through the sensory experience of tasting each other’s hometown dishes, further enriching the collective significance of food memory.

Finally, the role of food as a cultural exchange medium was also strongly validated in the interventions. Both interventions created opportunities for participants to engage in cultural exchange by sharing the cultural background of their ingredients. During the second intervention, participants not only shared core cultural values but also identified similarities between different cultures, such as the shared importance of expressing love and unity through food. I believe such communication strengthened the potential for cross-cultural connections and further confirmed the critical role of food in fostering cultural understanding.

Through these two interventions, I think food was shown to be a unique and effective medium in the context of cross-cultural adaptation and identity construction. These findings provide important insights for my future research and practice, such as designing more systematic food-based cultural activities to foster integration between migrant communities and local societies, and utilising food as a tool for emotional support to help migrants gain a stronger sense of belonging during their cultural adaptation.

Berry, J.W. (1997) ‘Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation’, Applied Psychology, 46(1), pp. 5-34.

Lupton, D. (1994) ‘Food, the body and the self’, Social Science Information, 33(3), pp. 541-572.

Sutton, D. (2001) Remembrance of Repasts: An Anthropology of Food and Memory. Berg Publishers.

Tajfel, H. and Turner, J.C. (1986) ‘The Social Identity Theory of Intergroup Behavior’, in Worchel, S. and Austin, W.G. (eds.) Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Nelson-Hall, pp. 7-24.