How can aberrant eating devices[1] provoke conversations about dining culture? The universal practice of dining is indicative of society, class, and culture. We can use this environment as a vessel for socio-cultural provocation, allowing us to question normative etiquette and explore new avenues within dining. Split into three collections, these culinary objects consider the impact that culture, class, westernisation, and modernisation has had on our dining culture.

[1] Abnormal or atypical utensils

‘Westoxication[2]’ encapsulates traditional, collectivist Iranian eating habits becoming lost in the westernisation of Iranian dining. Comparatively, ‘Long Lunch’ concentrates on the historical significance of British class-driven dining etiquette. In contrast, ‘Make a meal of it’ challenges the modernised lifestyle of eating on the go, ensuring that the user truly slows down and engages with their meal. The space created by these devices alters your standard perceptions, in turn facilitating new ways in which to navigate the polyvocal contemporary.

[2] A translation of the word Gharbzadegi, (coined by a well-known Iranian intellectual Jalal Al-e-Ahmad) which refers to the loss of Iranian identity through imitation of western culture.