Tracy Anne I. MirandaAssignment #1BSHM 1-2B219-04774M1. The History of Culinary ArtsSince the 1970s, historical studies of food in particular cultures have emerged as a new field,“culinary history.” Culinary history studies the origins and development of the foodstuffs,equipment, and techniques of cookery, the presentation and eating of meals, and the meanings ofthese activities to the societies that produce them. The origins of culinary arts began with primitivehumans roughly 2 million years ago.[1] There are various theories as to how early humans usedfire to cook meat. According to anthropologist Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: HowCooking Made Us Human,[2] primitive humans simply tossed a raw hunk of meat into the flamesand watched it sizzle. Another theory claims humans may first have savoured roasted meat bychance when the flesh of a beast killed in a forest fire was found to be more appetizing and easierto chew and digest than the conventional raw meat. Culinary techniques improved with theintroduction of earthenware and stoneware, the domestication of livestock, and advancements inagriculture. In early civilizations, the primary employers of professional chefs were kings,aristocrats, or priests. The divide between professional chefs cooking for the wealthy andpeasants cooking for their families engendered the development of many cuisines.
