Fusion Food: Origins

Although “fusion” is an American term, the trend has antecedents in French nouvelle cuisine of the 1970s, in which Gallic chefs rejected traditional rich sauces in favor of lighter dishes and fresh ingredients. Undercooked, crisp vegetables were served with fruit-based as well as wine-reduction sauces. French master chefs such as Paul Bocuse visited the Orient for inspiration. The French were already well versed in the East-West concept because of their colonization of Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos). The blending of compatible ingredients and techniques formerly isolated in Asian or European kitchens paved the way for experimentation by future chefs.