Italian Canadian Foodways
This project considers the place of food production and consumption in Italian-Canadian culture, examining cuisine as one of the defining traits of cultural identity for Italian immigrants that settled within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) over the past one hundred years. It begins with an overview of the history of Italian immigration to Toronto and key neighbourhoods built and transformed by this diaspora, including the establishment of landmark food businesses that persist to this day. Using a sociocultural, historical lens, the project further highlights the impact and contributions of the Italian community on Toronto’s food industry, tracing the growth and enduring legacies of restaurants in the face of cultural demographic shifts towards the turn of the century. This project further outlines the importance of recognizing and preserving the culinary traditions of diasporas, particularly in times of crises that impact local businesses and threaten to erase the cultural footprint of immigrant communities.
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Students
(1) Take a look at the eatery map for the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area. When (year[s], decade[s]) and where can you find the greatest density of Italian eateries? Why do you think the particular area you highlighted above has an abundance of Italian eateries?
(2) Once you have located an area of most density on the map, use the archive to analyze the materials for a minimum of two eateries located in that region. Some questions you can answer are: How do their menus compare? Do they offer the same dining experience? If applicable, what personal histories are offered? If applicable, are the menu offerings, dish names, etc. consistent with what we find in an eatery today? Does anything you have come across resonate on a personal level?
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Food Enthusiasts
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Community Members/Restaurant Owners/Managers
If you are a restaurant owner or manager and would like to have your business included in our repository, please click the button below and fill out the form. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
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