Flushing's Ganesh Temple featured in Our Global Kitchen exhibit film at AMNH

Image source: AMNH

This week we were fortunate to be invited to a preview of the Our Global Kitchen exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History (GMAP). This exhibit has been in the works for about four years and is impressive in its scope to include both the physical aspects of food (growing it, transporting it, eating it) and the culture of food, especially how it pertains to celebrations and traditions. It is also full of multimedia that engages the eyes, ears, palate… and even the nose. Yes, there are little kiosks that emit certain smells when you depress the button (the garlic one is particularly pungent). It’s pretty cool. We were happy to see that Queens figures into the exhibit. More on that later.

From AMNH about the exhibit:

In the new exhibition Our Global Kitchen:  Food, Nature, Culture, the American Museum of Natural History explores the complex and intricate food system that brings what we eat from farm to fork. In sections devoted to growing, transporting, cooking, eating, tasting, and celebrating, the exhibition illuminates the myriad ways that food is produced and moved throughout the world. With opportunities to taste seasonal treats in the working kitchen, cook a virtual meal, view rare artifacts from the Museum’s collections, and peek into the dining rooms of famous figures throughout history, visitors will experience the intersection of food, nature, culture, health, and history—and consider some of the most challenging issues of our time.

Here is a teaser video about the exhibit, too.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPImnEJ9CHc]

What is particularly pertinent to Queens is in the video at the end of the exhibit, that illustrates how we celebrate important occasions with food. The filmmakers start off the video with scenes from the Ganesh Temple in Flushing. They are in the middle of a celebration, likely of the birthday of Ganesh – here is a screen capture:

Image source: AMNH

Other celebrations on the video include Oktoberfest, Thanksgiving, and Chinese New Year, all of which are celebrated with gusto in our fair borough.

Our Global Kitchen will be up until August 11, 2013.