Integrating culture in Human–Food Interaction: A study of cultural and creative food experiences and technological interactions

Food is fundamental to culture. The growing interest in Human–Food Interaction within HCI highlights designing socio-cultural aspects of eating experiences with technology. This aligns with the emergency and popularity of Cultural and Creative Food (CCF) in China, characterized by its integration of cultural expressions in food innovations. This study explores the potential of CCF to advance both cultural and eating experiences, laying the groundwork for understanding how food and culture can be synergistically integrated in interactive eating experiences. We conducted a qualitative study with 21 participants to understand experiential affordances of CCF. Our findings inform the strengths and limitations of CCF design, such as facilitating engaging sensory experiences and cultural diffusion, yet exhibiting homogeneity in design and insufficient cultural knowledge sharing. We offer design implications to guide future technological development around socio-cultural eating experiences. With this work, we hope to inspire innovative technology designs that integrate cultural depth into the eating experience, facilitating culturally meaningful food experiences.