INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Inside the realm of literature, culinary culture functions as a potent narrative technique, embedding characteristics such as identity, memory, and social hierarchy inside the narrative. The act of eating is transformed into a major, symbolic, and frequently political literary element, ranging from classic to modern fiction. Food acts as a metaphor for emotion, culture, and power, and it gives rise to the transformation of the act of eating. There has been a long-standing connection between culinary food and literature, which serves as a reflection of cultural identity, societal conventions, and the progression of history. The purpose of this study is to investigate the depiction of food in literary works and to analyze the ways in which authors employ gastronomy as a narrative device to convey feelings, traditions, and social structures. Both Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel and In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust are examples of works that explore the symbolic implications of food and the function that it plays in the growth of characters, the evolution of the story, and the depth of the themes explored. In this study, the multifaceted significance of food in literature is uncovered through the application of critical theories such as structuralism, postcolonialism, and feminism. Based on the data, it appears that food not only provides nourishment to the body, but it also functions as a cultural artifact and a medium for narrative that influences the human experience. Mythology and folklore introduced Indian culture to children's literature. The didactic element of these stories sometimes hampered their ‘fun’ or ‘entertainment’. However, some publishing houses have tried to close this gap by creating stories that are more engaging and relatable to youngsters that reflect Indian culture and values. Food-based children's stories use food as a cultural symbol and representation of India's wide and diverse geography. This study investigates how chosen Indian children's literature employs culinary narratives to illustrate regional culture and gender performativity to fight colonial influence and Western capitalist expansion. This study analyzes Kozhukatta (2017), Thukpa for All (2018), Thatha's Pumpkin (2020), Paati's Rasam (2021), and My Grandmother Can't Cook (2023) using Edward Said's idea that resistance is not merely a reaction to colonialism but a new way of seeing human history. The article shows how culinary narratives promote ethnic variety, tolerance, and inclusivity among young readers.

Keywords: literatur; culinary culture; narrative technique