Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture

Culinary Grammar: A Study of the Cultural Implications of Food in Iranian Cinema

Articles in Press

Document Type : .

Author

Ehsan Aqababaee

Department of Social Sciences. University of Isfahan

10.30465/ismc.2026.54463.3043
Abstract
The main objective of this article is to analyze the cultural connotations of food representation in Iranian cinema. The conceptual framework of the research is based on Claude Fischler's theory of the "grammar of cooking," which posits food as a semiotic system, according to which every culture possesses implicit rules governing "what," "how," and "by whom" food is consumed. The research method employed is narrative analysis at two levels: story (characters and actions) and discourse (narrative knots). Purposeful sampling was conducted, resulting in a sample size of 35 Iranian films from the 2010s (1390s Persian calendar), each containing at least one sequence related to food praxis. The main findings indicate that the grammar of cooking in the studied films represents three major connotations: food as a marker of gender distinction, as a facilitator or obstacle to social interaction, and as a medium for religious and national rituals as well as traditional medical beliefs. The conclusion is that Iranian cinema reproduces a bipolar pattern grounded in patriarchal values concerning gender, the necessity of sustaining stable and legitimate social relationships, and the performance of traditional cultural rituals.

Keywords

Grammar of Cooking
Iranian Cinema
Food Representation
Narrative Analysis
Cultural Connotations
Subjects
Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 28 June 2026

  • Receive Date 23 April 2026
  • Revise Date 28 June 2026
  • Accept Date 28 June 2026
  • Publish Date 28 June 2026

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