what is streetfood, and what is not?

Having been the organizer of the Vienna Food Week and Vienna Food Festival I realized how many delicate thoughts I invested into observing the use of the term street food. In my very personal comprehension I’m set back to memories of asian street food, sitting at a vendor in Indonesia and munching crazy delicious snacks out of banana leafs, sitting in the midst of fire places, surrounded by cheap plastic furnishing, that kind of stuff. All of them fond memories of childhood that opened up my perception to food by means of sounds, smells, colors, and the like.

Now, looking at the trending, let’s say ‘european’ or ‘austrian’, notion of street food I keep on feeling puzzled. Although I admire all the small start ups, food trucks, and pop-up restaurants for their hard work and dedication, not even mentioning the great foods they construct, I catch my self in a mindset of disagreement. These delicious bites of tacos, burgers, sandwiches, noodles, are somehow not/streetfood to me. All the more, I want to keep a close eye, ear, tongue & nose towards the discussion of what’s street food as well as what is not?

Following art collection, called not/streetfood, is my very own take on street food. It is a selection of three photographies that show real life encounterments with food. Literally food lying on the street. All of them are NOT staged.

I would love to get your feedback and thoughts on this, so get in touch!