It's justifiable to yearn for the flavors of your homeland while venturing abroad.

It's justifiable to yearn for the flavor of familiarity when going abroad.

Just like every high-end hotel, it's crucial to provide a top-notch dining experience. Enter, The American Bar. Designed specifically for American visitors, this magnificent establishment has attracted notable figures such as Ernest Hemingway and Marilyn Monroe throughout the years.

Nowadays, thanks to the countless culinary awards, guidebooks, and TV shows, sampling local cuisine has become an essential aspect of any travel experience. However, just like those who frequented The American Bar, seeking out familiar flavors is still commonplace when traveling abroad. And there's a good reason for that.

As pointed out by Andrea Di Chiara, bar manager of the renowned venue, which remains London's longest-surviving cocktail bar and was named the world's best bar in 2017, "The Savoy itself was the first luxury hotel to open in London, appealing to discerning American travelers."

"The American Bar opened as an extension of that ideology and continues to draw an international crowd."

Unsurprisingly, both high-end and budget-friendly establishments recognize the demand for comfort food or familiar flavors from their customers.

The surge of food tourism

In a booming culinary travel market projected to reach over $1.1 trillion by 2024, over 34% of tourists surveyed in 2022 stated that they chose their destinations based on their preferred cuisine, according to a report by Future Market Insights. These numbers are expected to soar, reaching an astounding $5.6 trillion by 2034 with a staggering 17.1% compound annual growth rate.

This significant growth bodes well for the dining industry, but it also means that people willing to try new dishes may face criticism or judgment.

Example: During a recent dinner in Hong Kong, one of my companions expressed his desire for a steaming bowl of noodle soup to soothe his "Asian stomach."

"Why would you even..."

The idea was so unacceptable that the other diner couldn't finish his question. A few moments later, even he admitted that he too might have an occasional craving for fast food chains like McDonald's.

Stories like this are common, despite our reluctance to admit it.

Despite falling short in financial gains from selling egg waffles, the experience introduced me to a diverse global community, further fueling my love and appreciation for my hometown.

Many of us have a friend who packs Diet Coke in their suitcase or prefers Starbucks to a local coffee shop when traveling. My British colleague brings Yorkshire teabags with him when he travels. My own mother travels with a mini rice cooker and rice "for emergencies." During my time in London, I missed the taste of Hong Kong bubble waffles so much that I started my own market stall.

We are all essentially seeking the same comfort - familiar flavors in a foreign land. Nobody should be ridiculed for this, as per industry experts and scientists who claim that the decision to try or avoid unfamiliar local dishes is deeply rooted within us.

The science behind avoiding new foods

A joint study conducted by US professors in 2019 found that cultural familiarity, motivational factors, and personality traits have a significant impact on tourists' food decisions, more than cost and convenience.

"Travelers seemed more driven by comfort and safety," says Angel Gonzalez, an associate professor at California State University, Monterey Bay who co-authored the study. "Those who are more cautious or unfamiliar with local cuisine tend to lean towards familiar food."

It's interesting to note that Americans of Hispanic ethnicity are more inclined to try local food, according to Gonzalez.

"This may relate to broader familiarity with diverse food experiences," he speculates. However, he notes that these findings only offer a limited glimpse into food behaviors and a more extensive study is required to gain a more nuanced understanding of why travelers choose certain dishes abroad.

In the absence of a more concrete explanation, Judson Brewer, a neuroscientist and behavioral professor at Brown University, suggests that we examine our own thoughts.

He explains that there are two significant processes that our brains undergo when we make food choices.

"Travel is, or can be, a trade-off between the excitement of discovery and sticking to what's familiar," says Brewer, author of the book "Hunger Habit."

"Do we try a new food or eat at the familiar fast-food chain nearby?"

Tokyo's renowned Tsukiji fish market serves as an alluring tourist attraction. Yet, its varied seafood choices might appear overwhelming for tourists unaccustomed to its extensive marine offerings.

In such scenarios, he suggests that our decision-making brain assesses which choice is more rewarding for our survival.

This "explore vs. exploit dilemma" is deeply rooted in our ancestors' hunting and gathering instincts, when humans had to decide whether to venture to new food sources or stick with the ones in front of them before resources depleted.

According to Brewer, our planning brain may decide that staying with familiar food is safer to avoid potential physical discomfort.

"Our brains dislike uncertainty, and travel (particularly to new places) can be scary," says Brewer.

These uncertainties can trigger anxiety, leading to yet another process in our brains.

"As children, we learn that food is connected with mood and emotion," he says. "We associate food with comfort – hence the term 'comfort food.' Food has increasingly become a coping mechanism, thanks to modern marketing campaigns and pop culture," he explains.

So there you have it, the science behind seeking familiar flavors in a foreign land – and a reminder that nobody should be mocked for it.

When feelings emerge, our logical thinking part temporarily shuts down and our survival instinct takes control.

To numb the distress, it pushes us towards comfort food consumption - even when not hungry - producing dopamine (a pleasure hormone) as a reward to reinforce this habit.

Familiar tastes can function as a comforting anchor that offers psychological reassurance, making us feel less lost in unfamiliar surroundings, according to Brewer.

Catering to homesick tourists by the travel industry

The Jungfraujoch station in Switzerland provides travelers with a variety of international culinary options.

Sitting 3,454 meters (11,332 feet) up, Europe's highest accessible train station, Jungfraujoch in Switzerland, provides an excellent illustration of an attraction addressing homesick tourists' needs.

In the 80s, Jungfrau Railways recognized growing numbers of Asian visitors and responded by offering noodle soups at its mountain-top station. In 2023, they established King Noodle Bar, a popular eatery that prioritizes Asian noodles.

The business also acknowledges and showcases local culinary customs when possible.

At Jungfraujoch's Restaurant Bollywood, created in 2000 to accommodate Indian visitors, the menu features Swiss dishes such as Rosti with Swiss cheese, Zurich-style poultry with mushroom sauce, and Swiss chocolate desserts alongside traditional Indian cuisine.

"Our aim is to merge local cuisines with global inspirations to provide our guests an authentic and diverse dining experience, making them feel at home even while being away," says Jungfrau's corporate communications head, Kathrin Naegeli.

Gonzalez underscores the importance of combining familiar tastes with new ones for those who are hesitant to try diverse food options.

"Blending familiar flavors with local foods can help reduce apprehensions of cautious eaters, encouraging exploration and new experiences," he asserts.

Many years ago, the American Bar opened to offer comfort to international travelers in London. Langham Hotel's guide often recommended hospitals and docks but failed to mention any restaurants.

Today, the American Bar continues to offer familiar tastes but combines them with local offerings.

Chef Gerald Quadros explains that the American Bar's menu is inspired by classic American dishes that have been enhanced using British ingredients to create a menu that is both familiar and intriguing for guests.

"American and British food cultures are intertwined in our menu, highlighted by our sliders made with organic Denbighshire beef, exemplifying the bond between American and British food cultures," he says.

The Savoy's American Bar in London has been a popular attraction since the latter part of the 1800s.

Quadros emphasizes that travel fosters creativity as cultures intermingle and influence each other.

Overcoming food anxieties

The fusion of cultures is not just entertaining; there's a scientific rationale behind it as well.

Habits, Brewer explains, save energy since learning and exploration demand effort.

"Why waste time and effort on trying something unfamiliar that may not be enjoyable?" Brewer questions.

"Consider our bodies: if we remain seated, our muscles lose flexibility and become less flexible, which isn't healthy. The same principle applies to our minds."

Brewer has developed strategies, such as mindful curiosity, to assist patients in overcoming unhealthy eating habits, as detailed in his publications and lectures.

"Developing curiosity is crucial for cautious travelers to transform stress into an opportunity for growth via a 'what is this' perspective rather than a 'oh no' reaction," he concludes.

This strategy aided Brewer in managing his anxieties and broadening his experiences during his travels.

Recently, while vacationing in Italy, he joined his Italian postdoctoral fellow at a local family-owned eatery. Their specialty of the night: donkey meat.

"Being a vegan who has avoided meat for over two decades, I thought, 'I may never eat donkey again, so let's try it.' My curiosity prevailed, and the donkey was delicious," Brewer shares.

Behavioural professor and expert in neuroscience, Judson Brewer.

Although the donkey didn't persuade Brewer to start eating meat, it represented the mental stretch he emphasizes.

"Life is constantly changing, and rigidity makes it harder to adapt to these changes. Curiosity and exploration help maintain flexibility in our minds, making us more adaptable when change occurs," Brewer concludes.

In the thriving culinary travel market, many tourists choose their destinations based on their preferred cuisine, with over 34% admitting this in a 2022 report by Future Market Insights. Despite this, seeking out familiar flavors is still common when traveling abroad, as people often crave comfort food or recognize the demand for it in both high-end and budget-friendly establishments.

While traveling, people often bring familiar comforts like Diet Coke, Starbucks, or Yorkshire teabags with them, emphasizing the importance of familiar flavors in a foreign land. As Andrea Di Chiara, the bar manager of The American Bar, a renowned London cocktail bar, stated, "The American Bar opened as an extension of that ideology and continues to draw an international crowd."