On May 30, 2025, we had the honor of presenting at the University of the Ryukyus on culinary diplomacy and Okinawa, specificially how Okinawan cuisine serves as a lens for understanding regional identity, international dialogue, and culinary diplomacy, or the use of food as a tool to foster cross-cultural understanding and strengthen international relations.
As sisters and scholars, Kelsi, a Fulbright Lecturer and Visiting Professor at the University of the Ryukyus, and Keri, a Senior Lecturer at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore—we teamed up to explore the ways in which local food traditions carry meaning far beyond the plate. Our talk, titled “Global Bites, Local Meanings: What Culinary Diplomacy Reveals About Regional Identity,” invited discussion about how cuisine reflects culture, history, and values—and how it fosters soft power and cross-cultural exchange.
After the presentation, we were warmly welcomed to dinner at Paikaji, a well-loved Okinawan restaurant with vibrant décor, live sanshin music, and a menu rich in regional flavor. Together with faculty members, we enjoyed goya champuru (a stir-fry of bitter melon, tofu, and pork), crispy tempura, and melt-in-your-mouth rafute (braised pork belly simmered in awamori and soy sauce). The conversation around the table was as lively and nourishing as the meal itself.
Over plates of goya champuru (a stir-fry of bitter melon, tofu, and pork), crispy tempura, and rich, tender rafute (Okinawan-style braised pork belly), we exchanged ideas with faculty about Okinawa’s cultural heritage and how cuisine can connect communities across borders.
Sharing a meal that night reminded us how food doesn’t just reflect culture—it invites conversation, builds trust, and opens the door to deeper understanding. It was one of those rare moments when academic discussion, lived experience, and hospitality came together in the most delicious way.
Food, we realized once again, is more than sustenance. It’s a shared language. Through Okinawan cuisine, we experienced the warmth of local hospitality, the depth of cultural history, and the power of food to connect people across backgrounds and borders.