Author: Ariel Landrum
On Thursday, July 25, 2024, at San Diego Comic-Con, attendees had the opportunity to embark on a fantastic panel, “Tasting Pop Culture: The Cultural Impact of Iconic Eats.” Held in Grand 10 & 11 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, this panel captured the intersection of culinary art and fandom. This star-studded panel discussed the profound impact of food on storytelling and character development and how it enhances our connection to fictional worlds and each other.
The Power of Food in Fiction
Panel moderator, educator, and co-host of Happiest Pod On Earth, Stefanie Bautista, kicked off the panel by highlighting how food evokes emotions and memories, connecting us to both real and fictional worlds. She emphasized how certain dishes remind us of significant moments in our lives, similar to how iconic foods in pop culture anchor us to the stories we love. From the mystical Lembas bread in Middle-earth to the whimsical meals in Ghibli films, these foods are more than just sustenance—they’re integral to the narrative.
Panel moderator, therapist, and co-host of Happiest Pod On Earth, Ariel Landrum, followed with a poignant reminder about the importance of cultural sensitivity and trigger warnings, acknowledging that discussions about food can be challenging for those with eating disorders or body image issues. This set a considerate tone for the rest of the discussion. She shared that she is a therapist who works with clients recovering from trauma, sharing how food can be essential to the healing process.
The audience was encouraged to scan the QR code to get access to the slides, granting attendees exclusive access to the recipes at the end of the slides provided by the panelists (as well as past panelists from previous iterations of this talk) and other surprises at the end of the slides.
Types of Fandom Food
Landrum and Bautista educated the audience, defining fandom food and exploring how it connects us. They explained that food is more than what feeds our bodies; it nourishes our souls and minds. They discussed how tasting something can bring back childhood memories or evoke strong emotions similar to those experienced while watching an intense movie or laughing at a favorite show’s jokes. They emphasized that being a fan of food is akin to being a fan of pop culture, creating a culture of its own where people can bond over shared food experiences and build a community around impactful dishes.
Fandom food was described as a celebration of the heart and soul of fan communities, telling stories inspired by the rich universes of pop culture and storytelling. It includes replicating iconic meals, creating themed menus, and celebrating culinary trends from beloved narratives. This concept turns dining into an adventure, inviting fans to experience their favorite fictional worlds through food and fostering a shared love for these stories and tastes.
Landrum and Bautista provided categories and examples for the audiences on types of fandom food:
- Replicas: This involves bringing fictional dishes to life as depicted in stories. Examples include butterbeer from Harry Potter available at Universal Studios, or stores selling Scooby Snacks from Scooby-Doo.
- Themed: These are foods inspired by narratives, such as Wookie Cookies as a homage to Star Wars. Landrum mentioned that during Game of Thrones watch parties, she often created dishes inspired by the different lands, enhancing their viewing experience.
- Marketing: Brand-media collaborations produce themed products. A fun example is the “light side and dark side Oreo cookies,” where fans discovered hacks to determine which cookies were light and dark by looking for specific letters on the packaging.
- Brands: This refers to celebrating specific real-world food brands within fan communities. Bautista shared iconic examples, including the ramen museums in Japan, where visitors can make their own ramen, and the M&M’s World stores in locations like Las Vegas and New York City. She shared that as a child, she was amazed and excited to visit an entire store dedicated to M&M’s.
- Iconic: These fans follow specific foods or trends they are loyal to for consumption and merchandising. Landrum shared that she made her partner take her to the Olive Garden recently because she enjoys the food and that others who love this restaurant can actually buy the cheese grater.
- Gamification: This involves incorporating interactive and playful elements into food experiences, turning meals into engaging activities. Landrum shared an example from a trip to Mexico, where she and her fellow vacationers dined at a restaurant featuring Le Petite Chef, a projection that animated a tiny chef cooking the meal on the table. This interactive experience made dining fun and encouraged specifically a little girl in the group to try new foods as she watched the animated chef work hard to prepare them.
Personal Connections and Professional Insights
After setting the audience up with definitions, it was time to hear from our panelists. Each panelist shared their unique journey and insights, highlighting the deep connections between food, culture, and storytelling.
Chance Calloway, a multifaceted writer, musician, and director best known for his work on the web series Pretty Dudes, spoke about the creative process of cooking and how it parallels storytelling. For Calloway, food is not just about nourishment; it’s about creating art. He shared personal anecdotes of bonding with his mother over a now-out-of-print Patti Labelle cookbook, noting that he enjoys making her pies versus buying them from the store. He joked that he is the largest Patti-stan and has her newer cookbooks in his Amazon cart.
This experience not only deepened Calloway’s appreciation for food but also inspired him to include culinary elements in his creative projects, using food as a metaphor for emotional and narrative connections. Calloway also discussed his love for recreating dishes, including the ratatouille dish from the animated film, describing how the vibrant colors and meticulous preparation mirror his filmmaking approach, highlighting the creativity and precision required in both fields.
A production manager and musician, Louis Lake III, emphasized food’s crucial role in performance settings. He highlighted the importance of providing nourishing and satisfying meals for the cast and crew, noting that a well-fed team is a happy and productive team. Lake shared anecdotes about organizing food trucks and catering services that offer various options, from salads to hearty meals like ramen and pork ribs, underscoring the parallels between good food and good performance. His love for iconic fandom foods, such as pizza from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, added a fun and relatable element to the discussion.
A digital creator, Tiffie Starchild, known for her viral Villain-PR videos brought a unique perspective by discussing how food in pop culture evokes nostalgia and builds community. She referenced the universal appeal of butterbeer from Harry Potter, and even if you haven’t read the books or seen the movie, you know this drink and that it’s part of this franchise. She joked about how the original recipes fans made included actual butter sticks. Starchild highlighted the comforting dishes seen in Studio Ghibli films and that her passion for fandom foods like ramen and chocolate parfaits from various anime underscored the cultural significance and communal joy these dishes bring. She highlighted how food can transcend language barriers and cultural differences, creating a shared experience that bonds fans worldwide.
Albert Daniel, a chocolatier who was a contestant on Hulu’s Baker’s Dozen, shared his inspiring journey from nursing to creating pop culture-inspired chocolates. His story highlighted our emotional connections with food, as Daniel’s creations, such as the chocolate Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy, showcase his craftsmanship and ability to bring fictional characters to life in delicious forms. His passion for integrating cultural elements, like Filipino flavors, into his chocolates resonated with the audience, emphasizing the importance of cultural representation in culinary arts. When asked about his process for creating pop culture-themed chocolates, Daniel explained that each creation starts with a story, often influenced by upcoming movies or popular demand. He described the meticulous process of designing, molding, and perfecting each chocolate piece to ensure it captures the essence of the character or theme.
As a delightful surprise for the panelists, Daniel presented them with custom chocolates featuring an adult Groot design from Guardians of the Galaxy. This gesture visibly moved the panelists, expressing how lovely and artistic the chocolates were. Many even remarked that they were too perfect to eat, underscoring Daniel’s work’s exceptional artistry and emotional impact.
Baker Chrisell Nguyen discussed her innovative approach to transforming traditional Filipino desserts into contemporary delights at her bakery, Flour Atelier SD. Her story of turning a home baking passion into a successful business was inspiring, demonstrating how personal and cultural experiences shape her culinary creations. Nguyen explained how she incorporates traditional Filipino flavors into her modern baking, with popular treats like Ube cupcakes and Halo-Halo donuts. These treats bring a piece of her heritage to a broader audience, resonating with both Filipino and non-Filipino customers and fostering a sense of cultural pride and community.
Audience Engagement and Q&A
To encourage audience participation during the Q&A session, special gift bags were awarded to those who asked questions. Our sponsors generously provided these bags, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event. Each gift bag included a hat, a water bottle or to-go cup, stickers, a bookmark, and pamphlets about upcoming projects or where to support the sponsors, making for delightful keepsakes. Grandiloquent Productions donated the Bluey hat and Bluey water bottle, which were perfect for show fans, while Happiest Pod On Earth contributed Disney, Disney Channel, Star Wars, and Avengers stickers, hats, and bookmarks. Stack Up provided the water bottles and included pamphlets about their services, emphasizing their commitment to supporting veterans’ mental health through gaming.
Before the panel officially began, Landrum and Bautista conducted an impromptu audience poll to see how many Comic-Con attendees had attended previous San Diego Comic-Cons. One enthusiastic individual stood out, having participated at an impressive 36 Comic-Cons. This attendee was rewarded with the first gift bag, and the audience was informed that additional gift bags would be given out at the end of the panel for audience participation.
The first audience member asked Nguyen the name of her bakery and if it would be open that day. Nguyen proudly shared that her bakery is called Flour Atelier SD. Another attendee followed up that question with a question as to whether the bakery was open today and if they could attend. Although the bakery was not open that day, she invited everyone to visit the following day, promising a free piece of cake to anyone who came by and mentioned the panel. This generous offer was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience, eager to try her innovative creations.
Another attendee was curious if the panelists had ever made any fandom-inspired foods themselves. Starchild enthusiastically shared her love for creating dishes from her three Bridgerton-themed cookbooks. Louis Lake III described his experience making Naruto ramen, highlighting the technique he learned to crack an egg into the ramen while cooking. Calloway humorously recounted his ongoing quest to perfect a pizza recipe from the show Community, which involves ketchup and cream cheese. He promised to share the recipe once he had perfected it.
The last gift bag, and therefore the final question, was given to this attendee who expressed their love for the show Bluey because it included a Bluey hat and Bluey water bottle. The final question was about memorable or moving food scenes from fandoms. Starchild admired the breakfast scene in Howl’s Moving Castle, especially the thick bacon that looked incredibly appetizing. This prompted a unique and delightful moment when an audience member dressed as Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle, complete with a fire-themed bag, stood up. The room erupted in applause, and Starchild encouraged the cosplayer to embrace her “main character moment,” creating a heartwarming and memorable experience for everyone present.
The “Tasting Pop Culture: The Cultural Impact of Iconic Eats” panel at Comic-Con 2024 was a delectable dive into the world of fictional foods and their real-world impact. The thoughtful contributions from our sponsors added an extra layer of excitement and appreciation for the audience’s participation. The insights shared by the moderators and their esteemed panelists highlighted how food transcends mere sustenance, becoming a powerful storytelling tool that binds communities and enhances our connection to the narratives we cherish.
Panel Slides
Check out all the photos from this event and others we attended at SDCC 2024!
We hope you enjoyed our journey through the delicious world of pop culture cuisine! Now, we want to hear from you. Share your favorite fandom-inspired recipes in the comments below and join the conversation.
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