Redefining Authenticity in the Kitchen

Unveiling the true meaning of authentic cooking and its connection to techniques, history, and cultural identity.

Poulet chasseur with wild mushrooms, carrots, and potato purée. Image courtesy of the author.

Today’s fast-paced world is trying to ruin another of life’s pleasures: cooking. As convenience takes precedence over quality and authenticity, we are changing the concept of cooking. Processed ingredients and pre-packaged meals have become the norm. There is little room for the true essence of food preparation and traditional cooking methods.

But a new movement seeks to rediscover and celebrate the authenticity of cooking.

Authentic cooking is about preserving culinary traditions. It’s about respecting the heritage of particular regions. It involves understanding the histories, customs, and traditions of regional cuisines and understanding how to incorporate these traditions into our own cooking processes.

We may follow recipes claiming to be authentic; however, the preparation technique is more important than the ingredients. We honour tradition with the presentation and preparation of our dishes, not by adding precise measurements of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

So, let’s explore what authentic cooking truly means. What is its significance in preserving culinary traditions, and how can we embrace it in our kitchens?

What is authentic cooking?

Let’s examine two recipes that resemble each other: poulet chasseur and pollo cacciatore. The first recipe is French, and the second is Italian. You may have heard these recipes called chicken chasseur and chicken cacciatore. And as you may have guessed, they both translate in English to “hunter’s chicken.”

Although they share the same name, these two recipes differ in many ways. This is not surprising, given that hunters in France and Italy would have had access to different ingredients. With a freshly plucked chicken, they would have made the best meals they could with the ingredients they had on hand. But are there authentic Hunter’s Chicken recipes today? It depends on how we define authenticity.

For example, has anyone ever actually hunted chickens? We’ve named the recipe Hunter’s Chicken, not Hunter’s Pheasant or Hunter’s Partridge. Well, it’s possible and even likely. The scientific name for grocery store chickens is Gallus gallus domesticus. Gallus is the Latin word for chicken, and domesticus translates to “belonging to the house” or domesticated.

The name implies that grocery store chickens are domesticated, so they were likely never hunted, at least not in large numbers. Still, the species we call chicken today is a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl, Gallus gallus gallus. Yes, scientists need to work on more original names, but we’ll chat about that in another blog. Red Junglefowl and many related species exist worldwide and are still hunted in some parts of the world today.

So yes, it is logical to think that hunters in many regions of the world would have hunted chicken-like fowl. It is also likely that many variations of Hunters Chicken recipes could be authentic.

As discussed above, authenticity is more about techniques and traditions than specific ingredients. So what should we think of Gordon Ramsey, who cooked an “authentic” chicken cacciatore using boneless, skinless chicken breast? Surely, hunters would not use boneless, skinless meat in their dishes!

The French food journalist Emmanuelle Jary says there is no “true” recipe for hunters chicken. Hunters would have varied the recipe depending on what vegetables were in season. But Jary honours the recipe's authenticity by using the whole chicken, including the head and legs! Sorry, Gordo — boneless skinless breasts can’t possibly be authentic.

So, what does it mean to make an authentic recipe?

A while back, my team accomplished a rather long and challenging task in the lab. I wanted to get them a little something to show my appreciation. I stopped by one of my favourite bakeries and bought some macarons. I’d long enjoyed macarons from this bakery and wondered if they were authentic French ones.

While bringing a batch to the lab, I remembered one of the team members was Parisian. I thought I would ask her if she thought these macarons were authentic. Later that day, she came to my office and said, “Wow, I have no idea if those macarons are authentic, but they are delicious.” We then chatted about what was authentic in cooking. We wondered if there was such a thing as an authentic macaron. We didn’t come to any conclusion.

In this modern world of technology and mass-produced ingredients, authentic cooking must encompass more than following a recipe. It ought to honour the history, culture, and art of combining flavours. It should celebrate the cooking techniques passed down through generations.

Authenticity must mean using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Respecting traditional food preparation methods. Authentic cooking can be a way to reconnect with our roots and honour the culinary traditions. After all, the sharing of food has shaped our cultural identities.

How can we embrace authentic cooking?

We can start by using authentic cooking to promote a healthier lifestyle, using fresh ingredients and avoiding preservatives and additives commonly found in processed foods. Our ancestors, hunters and gatherers, “ate to live.” Too many of us today “live to eat.” Authentic cooking encourages mindful eating. It connects us with the nutritional value of what we consume. Traditional cooking methods rely on natural flavours, making the dishes more wholesome and delicious.

Authentic cooking can play an essential role in preserving our cultural heritage. Food has always been a means of bringing people together. Traditional recipes hold a wealth of knowledge and history within them. They represent delicious ways to learn about other cultures. By embracing authentic cooking, we ensure we pass these traditions on to future generations.

Authentic cooking lets us cook sustainably. The first cooks and chefs used local, seasonal ingredients. They may have had access to the occasional imported spice, but everything was generally fresh and locally sourced. Today, we can support local farmers and explore our local farmers’ markets, and connect with independent suppliers who use fresh, sustainable ingredients.

The new authentic.

So, let’s define the new “authentic.” It’s about the essence of cooking. Most of you reading this will not have the means to hunt Red Junglefowl and create a tomato-based stew over a wood fire in a cast-iron pot. That doesn’t mean you can’t embrace the essence of preparing a chicken stew.

We can further practice authenticity by learning traditional cooking techniques. It is OK to forgo the open fire and use an induction stovetop, but we can avoid Hollandaise sauces made in a blender. And please, do not use boneless skinless chicken breast in “Hunter’s Chicken.”