Abstract
Kurt Drummer was one of the most well-known chefs in the GDR. Over 25 years he presented the weekly TV show Der Fernsehkoch empfiehlt (The TV Chef recommends). He also published several cookbooks, each of which was published in multiple editions. Through analysing the cookbooks I trace the development of food culture in East Germany from the 1960s to the late 1980s. Cookbooks are increasingly recognised as important popular media that can help us understand and trace the development of cuisines over time. In the context of the GDR, cookbooks can help us understand how product shortages were dealt with, analyse prevailing ideas about health and consumption in society but also whether and to what extent East German cuisine was influenced by communist countries elsewhere and increasing migration from other communist countries influenced traditional East German cuisine. I do that with the help of the cookbooks published by Kurt Drummer in its multiple edition as well as a selection of his TV episodes. Through my research I make a contribution to research on food culture in the GDR as well as the role of celebrity and media chefs have in influencing consumption behaviour.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
GDR, Cuisines, Celebrity Chefs, Cookbooks
