Lily Kelting, "Against Heritage: The Reinvention of Traditional Foods" (UNC Press, 2026)

*Against Heritage: The Reinvention of Traditional Foods* examines how heritage functions as a consumable commodity that often erases complex historical realities. Lily Kelting, an assistant professor of literary and cultural studies, argues that heritage narratives frequently rely on selective nostalgia, which obscures histories of enslavement, indigeneity, and labor. By analyzing case studies from the U.S. South, Northern Europe, and India, the discussion highlights how celebrity chef culture and techno-futurism—such as the automation of traditional food production—systematically decontextualize foodways and invisibilize the embodied knowledge of women. Culinary innovation often masks extractive practices, necessitating that chefs and food writers move beyond "genius" myths. Instead, the industry must adopt transparent, community-oriented practices that acknowledge the labor and history behind every ingredient, ultimately challenging the political implications of modern heritage-making processes.