Why Does Cuisine Need to Conquer?

Is validation from the Western world overstated?

“Cuzco.” Photo: Nicholas Gill.

Why do we often insist that a country’s food needs to conquer? That it needs to expand and reach new soils. To find economic success and approval from someone far away to make it relevant?

Again and again in food media, particularly in Latin America, I see some variation of the headline: “Chef/Ingredient from X Conquers X.” …