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New Orleans has a rich culinary heritage, and its diverse cuisine is an integral part of its culture and identity. The portrayal of the city’s food in the episode Lisa Gets the Blues on “The Simpsons” helps to highlight this aspect of the city and may even inspire viewers to learn more about its unique culinary traditions.
“The Simpsons” is a long-running animated television series known for its satirical portrayal of American culture and society. In recent years, the show has gained a significant online following, with many fans creating content based on the series on platforms such as YouTube.
“The Simpsons”, Youtuber Two Swiss Tourists, and celebrity chef Binging with Babish have all played important roles in promoting New Orleans food diplomacy. In recent years, New Orleans cuisine has gained widespread recognition for its unique blend of Creole and Cajun flavors and these three popular cultural figures have helped to increase the city’s visibility on the global stage.
In the episode Lisa Gets the Blues, the Simpsons Family travels to New Orleans for a vacation. While there, they dine at several real-life restaurants in the city. One of these restaurants is Galatoire’s, a famous fine dining establishment on Bourbon Street., another is Mother’s, a popular breakfast and lunch spot known for its po’boy sandwiches. Finally, the Simpsons also visit the Court of Two Sisters, a historic restaurant that serves Creole cuisine and is renowned for its jazz brunch. These restaurants are still open today and are popular tourist destinations in New Orleans.
Youtuber Two Swiss Tourists, on the other hand, has focused on promoting New Orleans food diplomacy through their popular YouTube channel. The channel, which was created in 2016, features videos of two Swiss tourists exploring various cuisines from around the world. In 2020, they released a viral video on New Orleans cuisine, which was based on the actual footage of “The Simpsons” in which the character Homer Simpson and his daughter Lisa eat their way through several real-life restaurants in New Orleans. These videos not only showcase the unique flavors of New Orleans cuisine but also provide a glimpse into the city’s vibrant food culture.
In addition to “The Simpsons” and Youtuber Two Swiss Tourists, Andrew Rea, a celebrity chef and television personality, better known by his screen name Binging with Babish, has also played a significant role in promoting New Orleans food diplomacy. A few days after Two Swiss Tourists, Rea released a video on his YouTube channel in which he takes a stroll around New Orleans restaurants featured on “The Simpsons”. This video, which has been viewed over 4 million times, introduced many viewers across the globe to the concept of a po’ boy and highlighted the culinary traditions of New Orleans.
The videos were well-received since many viewers expressed interest in visiting New Orleans and supporting its local businesses. The collaboration also helped to raise awareness of the city’s public diplomacy efforts and may have contributed to increased tourism and economic growth in the area.
It can be said that the efforts of “The Simpsons,” Youtuber Two Swiss Tourists, and Binging with Babish have helped to increase awareness and appreciation for New Orleans cuisine on a global scale. Through their popular cultural platforms, these figures have provided a unique window into the city’s rich culinary heritage, which has in turn helped to promote food diplomacy and foster greater understanding and appreciation for the unique flavors of New Orleans.
Overall, the recreation of Homer’s food journey in New Orleans by Youtuber Binging with Babish and The Two Swiss Tourists are successful examples of using online content creation to promote a city’s culinary heritage. The creator can promote New Orleans as a culinary destination and may even contribute to increased tourism and economic growth in the area by showcasing the city’s unique dishes and flavors.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDPOk8dRaYc&t=31s
- https://www.neworleans.com/blog/post/simpsons-inspired-new-orleans-food-bucket-list/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Gets_the_Blues
About the writer:
Fikry Muhammad Reza Al-Hasin or commonly called Fikry was a fresh graduate of International Relations at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang. He is a private officer by day and an aspiring writer by night.
