History Main / HollywoodCuisine

** Georgian:Khachapuri, Khachapuri, and more Khachapuri. Also khinkali, usually described as "Georgian soup dumplings" to attract customers who have had/have heard of Shanghainese xiaolongbao and want something similarly fun to eat.

** Georgian:Khachapuri, Khachapuri, and more Khachapuri

*** In recent years, thanks to a growing number of Korean immigrants in America, there is the stereotype a sushi joint is more likely to be run by Koreans. A running gag is that Japanese sushi chefs are a rare elite breed who spend almost a decade in a school just for the ability to make sushi (a perception not helped by the relative popularity of ''Film/JiroDreamsOfSushi'', which portals an elite and obsessive Japanese sushi chef).

*** In recent years, thanks to a growing number of Korean immigrants in America, there is the stereotype a sushi joint is more likely to be run by Koreans. A running gag is that Japanese sushi chefs are a rare elite breed who spend almost a decade in a school just for the ability to make sushi (a perception not helped by the relative popularity of Film/JiroDreamsOfSushi, which portals an elite and obsessive Japanese sushi chef).

*** In recent years, thanks to a growing number of Korean immigrants in America, there is the stereotype a sushi joint is more likely to be run by Koreans. A running gag is that Japanese sushi chefs are a rare elite breed who spend almost a decade in a school just for the ability to make sushi.

** Specific to UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}, Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, particularly in the form of smoked meat and bagels. These are different from the pastrami[[note]]Which is prepared by a virtually identical process, but with different flavoring. Mordecai Richler, doyen of Montreal's Jewish culture (he wrote Literature/BarneysVersion, the most recognizable item of Montreal Judaica outside Canada) famously proclaimed that the scent of Montreal smoked meat should be bottled and sold as "Nectar of Judaea".[[/note]] and bagels of New York. Just as the New Yorker will argue with the Chicagoan as to whose pizza is better, he will argue with the Montrealer over bagels and smoked meat/pastrami.

** Specific to UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}, smoked meat and bagels, which are different from the pastrami[[note]]Which is prepared by a virtually identical process, but with different flavoring[[/note]] and bagels of New York. Just as the New Yorker will argue with the Chicagoan as to whose pizza is better, he will argue with the Montrealer over bagels and smoked meat/pastrami.

* Brazilian: [[RepeatedForEmphasis Meat, meat, meat]], black beans, [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment meat]], rice, collard greens, [[RuleOfThree meat]], beans, and [[RunningGag meat]]. And cheese. [[OverlyLongGag And meat]]. (There's also a wide selection of Afro-Brazilian and seafood dishes, but those are irrelevant to the stereotype. The substantial cuisines derived from European and Asian immigrants, contributing popular dishes like São Paulo-style pizza and ''temaki'', will get ignored too.) [[BrickJoke Have we mentioned meat?]]

* Thai: Thai food had experienced an explosion in popularity during the 1990's, increasing their presence in the media and at the grocery store. By far the most famous and most-depicted dish is Pad Thai, but no one seems to really know what goes in one, so it's most often depicted as this dish with noodles, chopped vegetables, and thinly sliced bits of meat with some thick dark brown sauce over it[[note]]That being said, there really IS tremendous variation in Pad Thai, the only standards being noodles and certain ingredients in the sauce[[/note]]. Thai iced tea is the runner-up, which is even more clueless in its depiction; sometimes, it's accurately shown as an opaque, deep orange-colored drink sometimes with the top part being white, and sometimes, it looks exactly the same as American iced tea. Also, everything has peanuts in it, regardless of how little sense it makes, and oftentimes bell peppers (which is not a normal part of authentic Thai cuisine).

** Native American: Bison meat (which was only in the Midwest). Fry bread. Corn will often be mentioned, being the staple crop of many tribes. Same goes for beans, squash, and sweet potatoes. For dessert, the one that's usually named is wojapi (sweet, pudding-like berry sauce).

* British: Considered TheScrappy of cuisines by the Americans, French, Greeks and Italians among others. As portrayed, British cuisine has three types of dish: [[BoringButPractical bland]], [[CordonBleughChef disgusting]] (e.g. blood pudding, [[UsefulNotes/{{Scotland}} haggis]], jellied eels), and [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs bland and disgusting]] (e.g. mushy peas, [[ATankardOfMooseUrine warm beer]]). Oh--and don't forget the tea. [[BritsLoveTea Lots and lots of tea, typically with milk and sugar]]. A more specific breakdown follows, but first:

*** A delightful note (unless you're vegan, vegetarian, coeliac, or [[MyCountryTisOfTheeThatISting hate compulsory voting]]): [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_sausage The Democracy Sausage!]] When Australia goes to the polls for an election, odds are fairly good that someone will be running a sausage sizzle by the exit so you can grab a hot sausage on a slice of bread on your way out.[[note]]Australian elections are always held on a Saturday, and voting is compulsory, so there's always a high turnout - meaning that the people running the sizzle are practically guaranteed to make some money, which usually then goes to the institution running the polling place.[[/note]]

** Scottish: There's the perception that they [[DeepFriedWhatever deep-fry everything]]. They ''[[TruthInTelevision do]]''; don't make the mistake of asking for a pie and chips in a Scottish takeaway. They also have porridge, haggis[[note]]Made from sheep's heart, liver, and lungs, ground up with oats, suet, onions, and spices and stuffed into the animal's stomach (or, these days, an artificial sausage casing). This isn't as bad as it's made out to be; it's basically a thick, short mutton sausage flavoured with onion. Compared to a [[MysteryMeat hot dog]] or even your standard British banger, a haggis is positively wholesome.[[/note]] (which they will also gladly deep-fry) and shortbread (which they probably won't). [[DrinkBasedCharacterization Whisky]] should always be [[SpellMyNameWithAnS spelled that way.]] [[SeriousBusiness Do not ever suggest it isn't better than Irish whiskey.]]

*** A delightful note (unless you're vegan, vegetarian, or coeliac): [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_sausage The Democracy Sausage!]] When Australia goes to the polls for an election, odds are fairly good that someone will be running a sausage sizzle by the exit so you can grab a hot sausage on a slice of bread on your way out.[[note]]Australian elections are always held on a Saturday, and voting is compulsory, so there's always a high turnout - meaning that the people running the sizzle are practically guaranteed to make some money, which usually then goes to the institution running the polling place.[[/note]]

** Lots and lots of soup — of which there is a bewildering variety. It's not a proper meal if there wasn't some soup. Though only borscht is remembered by Hollywood (add shchi if you're ''very'' lucky).

*** If it's not Jewish, there's stereotypical Italian food. Spaghetti in red sauce, veal parmigiana sandwiches, and cannoli, oh my. And don't forget the capicola (pronounced "gabagool" if you're a real ''paisan''). New York's old-school red-gravy restaurants are legendary--just make sure it's not a [[TotallyNotACriminalFront mob hangout]] (or maybe do. Those wiseguys knew how to eat).

*** If it's not Jewish, there's stereotypical Italian food. Spaghetti in red sauce, veal parmigiana sandwiches, and cannoli, oh my. And don't forget the capicola (pronounced "gabagool" if you're a real ''paisan''). New York's old-school red-gravy restaurants are legendary--just make sure it's not a [[LegitimateBusinessmensSocialClub mob hangout]] (or maybe do. Those wiseguys knew how to eat).

The {{Flanderization}} of a single culture's cooking into a few recognizable tidbits. Handy for those who can't be bothered to do the research and whose experience with the cuisine in question is limited to visiting a few restaurants.

Americans' ideas of the cuisines of many cultures were originally based on the foods associated with ''immigrants'' from those countries, which is often different from what people actually ate back in the old country due to different ingredients being available and/or cheap (the classic example being the association between the Irish and corned beef and cabbage--in Ireland, it's back bacon and cabbage, but land-rich 19th-century America featured relatively cheap beef and relatively expensive bacon while in Ireland it was the other way 'round). Not to mention immigrant restaurant owners catering to American tastes, which has resulted in the creation of entire genres of food (Chinese-American, Tex-Mex, etc) which are actually foreign to the countries with which they are associated.

** Poutine is depicted as a national cuisine although it's actually a very regional dish specific to Québec. The poutine available elsewhere in the country is a fast-food variant made with processed cheese and instant gravy.

* Korean: Mostly consists of barbecue and kimchi. Occasionally, the odd [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosintang dog soup]] joke is thrown around, [[ForeignQueasine just for the shock value]]. Also can be [[FireBreathingDiner real spicy]].

* Mexican: Most people outside of Mexico think of this as tacos and burritos, but that's really TheThemeParkVersion of real Mexican cuisine. Also tends to be [[FireBreathingDiner loaded with chili peppers]] and/or smothered in cheese (usually cheddar or something like it). Also beans. And nachos (a 20th-century Tex-Mex creation). And tequila.

* Vietnamese: If you asked a Vietnamese person that their favorite food is, they would ask you it is Pho. Vietnamese cuisine is known as a fusion between Chinese, Indian and French cuisines.

* Brazilian: [[RepeatedForEmphasis Meat, meat, meat]], black beans, [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment meat]], rice, collard greens, [[RuleOfThree meat]], beans, and [[RunningGag meat]]. And cheese. [[OverlyLongGag And meat]]. (There's also a wide selection of Afro-Brazilian and seafood dishes, but those are irrelevant to the stereotype. The substantial cuisines derived from European and Asian immigrants, contributing popular dishes like São Paulo-style pizza and ''temaki'', will get ignored too.) [[BrickHoke Have we mentioned meat?]]

* Brazilian: [[RepeatedForEmphasis Meat, meat, meat]], black beans, [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment meat]], rice, collard greens, [[RuleOfThree meat]], beans, and [[RunningGag meat]]. And cheese. [[OverlyLongGag And meat]]. (There's also a wide selection of Afro-Brazilian and seafood dishes, but those are irrelevant to the stereotype. The substantial cuisines derived from European and Asian immigrants, contributing popular dishes like São Paulo-style pizza and ''temaki'', will get ignored too.)

** Mainstream U.S. dubs of kids' anime programs will typically [[CulturalTranslation refer to signature Japanese dishes as something Western]], such as calling ''onigiri'' (rice balls adorned with a strip of seaweed) or ''gyoza'' (pork dumplings) donuts or cookies, as in the original English dubs of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' and ''Anime/SailorMoon''. The Creator/DisneyXD English dub of ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'' is an exception, as the title character's favorite snack, ''dorayaki'' (a pastry filled with sweet red bean paste), is called by its actual name in one episode despite otherwise being referred to as "yummy buns."

** ''WebVideo/RegularOrdinarySwedishMealTime'' have made a few traditional Swedish dishes, including the aforementioned meatballs, smörgåstårta, and pyttipanna. Potatoes as a side dish appear frequently. Oh yeah, and mayonnaise. [[CatchPhrase It's good for you]].

-->-- '''Anthony Bourdain'''

*** Turkish: Most culinary experts would say the Turkish kitchen is even better than the Lebanese--including a good number of Lebanese experts, who often turn to Turkey for inspiration. At least one expert has stated that there are three truly grand culinary traditions in the world: the Chinese, the French, and the Turkish. Stereotypically consists of döner kebab and lots of stuff with phyllo dough. [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adana_kebabı Adana kebab]] is a favorite. Plenty of yogurt, too, as well as stranger dairy items. Lots of dishes featuring stewed or roasted vegetables, which may be made with meat or without it. If meatless, these vegetable will feature lots of olive oil (called ''zeytinyağli'', which means "with olive oil"); the most famous is probably the eggplant dish ''Imam bayilidi'' ("the Imam fainted", supposedly because it was invented by a woman whose husband, an imam, fainted when he found out how much olive oil went into the dish). The vegetables are often stuffed. Also, Turkish coffee. Expect pita bread as well.

*** Iraqi: Like their neighbors, but not as good. Although [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepsi_baytinijan Tepsi baytinijan]] is a favorite. [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masgouf Masgouf]] is often considered the national dish.

** Within China, dishes from Sichuan are stereotyped as being spicy enough to set things on fire yet leaving a pleasant tingly sensation on the lips, while the stuff from Hunan is considered the super-spicy, oily, smoky, garlicky peasant food that everyone ''has'' to like because Chairman Mao[[note]]Himself a Hunan native.[[/note]] said so. Meanwhile, Guizhou's spicy-vinegary cooking is so hot as to send Sichuanese and Hunanese diners running in terror (though it does go well with [[GargleBlaster the region's strong spirits]]). The Beijing food is so boring as to not have any special dish (except the much mocked Peking duck), the Northerners are the ones who seem to subsist entirely on beef and noodles, while the Southerners are the ones who would eat anything not nailed down.[[note]]With respect to this last: the oft-quoted joke about the Chinese eating "everything with four legs that is not a table, everything that swims that is not a submarine, and everything that flies and is not an airplane" is actually an adaptation of a joke Northern Chinese told about Southerners and particularly Cantonese (i.e. people from Guangzhou); in a [[http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/03/04/a-map-of-china-by-stereotype/ map compiling searches Chinese people make about China's provinces]], the most common search for Guangdong was "eats monkeys".[[/note]] And those from Inner Mongolia are the ones who seems to be overly fond of their sheep, and let us not speak about those from Tibet and their yaks...