Dianne Ma

Master of Gastronomy student

Pursuing a Master of Gastronomy felt like a natural progression in her career, says Dianne Ma who came to AUT as an international student from the US.

“I’ve been working in the hospitality industry for the past decade, but was keen to explore other facets of the food industry. I had enjoyed my undergraduate studies in the US and liked the idea of returning to academia for further studies within my field. Living in the US, I had wanted to move to New Zealand for a while now, and when I looked at gastronomy programmes in New Zealand, AUT had the most compelling curriculum.”

The programme as a whole has been a rich and rewarding experience, she says.

“The course topics and assessments have been engaging and challenging. Our programme has many international students, which gives class discussions a truly global perspective. The field trips and guest lecturers also connect us to a network of chefs, writers, growers, producers and educators who represent the vibrant and diverse food industry of Aotearoa.”

Exploring authenticity in food
For her master’s degree research, Dianne is focusing on authenticity in food, supervised by Rob Richardson and Christine Hall from AUT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism.

“In my dissertation, I delve into the controversy surrounding what is considered authentic food and review attributes commonly associated with authenticity, such as historical tradition and nostalgia. I test my findings by analysing if the Mission burrito, a regional burrito variant invented in the San Francisco Bay Area where I grew up, can be described as authentic Mexican food.

“This research can potentially assess authenticity in other foods with immigrant origins within the American hospitality industry, as well as broaden the framework of authenticity characteristics to other areas of gastronomy and anthropology as a whole. At the same time, it can help unpack the motivations for why we seek authenticity in our lives and bring to light the colonialist undertones associated with authenticity.”

Making connections with New Zealand’s food sector has been one of the highlights of her time at AUT.

“I’ve become involved with Pacific Food Lab Aotearoa through AUT, with whom they have a Memorandum of Understanding. I even had the opportunity to travel to Nouméa to visit Pacific Food Lab New Caledonia during their annual Bal du Village de l’Alimentation (food village ball) and Fête des Produits Locaux (celebration of local foods). I’m keen to continue working with both Pacific Food Lab Aotearoa and Slow Food Aotearoa to promote sustainable and resilient food systems in our communities.”

Advice for other students
Expecting to graduate later this year, Dianne has some great advice for other students.

“AUT has a wealth of resources. Use them! I regularly check in with my international student advisor and my lecturers. Each semester, I’ve reviewed potential assessment topics with my lecturers and brainstormed with my classmates. I’ve also attended several AUT-sponsored social events to destress and connect with my peers.”

She wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Master of Gastronomy to other students.

“This is an amazing programme to broaden your gastronomic knowledge and network within Aotearoa’s food community.”