Raising the Steaks in LahoreA Concise Recollection of the Evolution of Lahore'sFood IndustryBy Ayesha Fatimah Rasul ( ayesha@raw.com.pk )Every culture throughout different phases of time has been identified by its uniquecharacteristics. In fact, the very word "culture" signifies a set of social habits,traditions, norms and values indigenous to a particular group of people within ageographical distribution. Among the many things that have occupied the thoughtsand efforts of people belonging to all cultures, gustatory advances probably takepriority even to this day.There are many factors which lead to the selective and intrinsic culinary traditionspeculiar to each culture, past and present. One of the most influential among suchfactors is perhaps the climate of any region. Eskimos of the Arctic Circle andGreenland rely heavily on seal blubber and walrus meat not only because of theirhigh fat content which helps in keeping them warm, but also due to the multipleuses of this fat as lamp fuel and preservative etc. Similarly, the people of Tibet useyak as their prime source of meat, milk, butter and fine fur. Even within theIndo-Pak Sub-continent climatic conditions have driven food selectivity as can beseen in the regular usage of rice, yogurt and lassi (buttermilk), to name a few.Availability is also a factor determining the selectivity of culinary cultural trends.Arabic nomads exemplify this fact by their usage of camel meat, dates and goat'smilk. People in the Mediterranean belt have used garlic, onions and olives, even intimes when their English counterparts considered it a revolting trend, perhapsbecause of a mix of climatic reasons and availability. Acquired traditions within aculture also at times set out to define dietary preferences.It is safe to state that food and culture have evolved together and continue to do so.The amalgamation of "how and what we eat" into "how and in which way we live"has led to the breeding of new ideas and infact new industries. Food and its relatedsciences as we know them today have undergone a change in status. People theworld over with time have primed their instincts from "eating to survive" to"surviving to eat". This change is perhaps in sync not only with the changing needsof time but also the change within the higher cognitive abilities of our species thatoccurred over the centuries. What food means today is in many ways different fromwhat it did many years ago. From being an alimentary requisite of our biologicalfunctioning, it has gained an additional role of being some sort of unifying forcethat binds society together. As might be evident to even the most mediocreobserver, one of the fastest growing industries in Pakistan today is the foodindustry. The basic role of this article is to note the past and current trends that leadto the evolution of food, from a basic need to a multi-million industry.

Many an ardent thinker and writer have labeled man as a "social animal". Thisholds true as the basis of our discussion here. It was this very element of beingsocial that lead to the afore-mentioned evolution. What better than to socializeeveryday and share daily frustrations and common happenings with fellow men ofcompatible nature and status? What indeed a better medium than fulfilling a basicrequirement along with such discussions? What better way to talk out the dailygrind, so to speak, than to do it over a hot meal or a soothing cup of tea? Thisideation has been the back bone of converting a basic need to an industry.There have been examples even in our country, Pakistan. The biggest role has beenplayed by tea stalls and pan shops in every suburb. Pak Tea House earned its placein the history of our country by becoming the breeding ground of literary andpolitical discussions. Maula Baksh Pan Shop similarly was (and still is) a landmarkin Lahore due to the scores of people visiting it and venting out their dailyoccurrences. Many other places like these continue to be part of the daily routine ofmen belonging to all socio-economic groups, but a new era that would soonrevolutionize the food trends was soon to follow. This was the era of college anduniversity education which took place after the 1950's.Perhaps, the inspiration that laid the foundation of the food industry as we know ittoday came from the most unlikely of all sources, campus placed canteens and tuckshops. Students of well based institutions like the University Of Punjab and otherfamous institutions needed a place for informal discussions. The only place withsuch a casual atmosphere which could be provided along with convenience was thecampus canteen.For obvious reasons human nature desires and regards change at every level.Therefore, the concept of a group of students getting together and going out growspurely out of the need for such a change. Places like Shezan and Indus Restauranton The Mall Road, Lahore and Tangiers Ice Cream Parlor became frequentlyvisited venues of these students. Simultaneously, another group of people wereutilizing many of the same venues along with certain others like Salloo's on TheMall Road. These were businessmen who conducted both formal business andpersonal gatherings at these sites. They further contributed in the evolution of thefood industry by expanding such visits with their families on weekends. Hence, theconcept of families eating out stemmed. This led to the need for variety and manynew places cropped up on the scene. Most notably, it was the Chinese restaurantsthat initially took the city by storm.Another turning point that shaped this evolution was the emergence of the 9 - 5corporate office culture. Many people initially used to bring lunch from home.Then certain delivery services came into being that provided the facility of gettingfood delivered from homes to offices during the lunch hour. Other changes likefood stalls and "dhabbas" around office facilities took place and provided aneconomical alternative to office workers. With the passage of time, many of theseplaces developed into well structured eateries or food chains that specialized incatering to workers and businessmen during the lunch hour.It is true that a country's economic status and development shapes the destiny of allagricultural, industrial and educational departments. With the economic changesthat took place in Pakistan over time, we all agree that inflation is the mostcommonly remembered consequence. This is to signify that despite increased

expense of living and in spite of raised cost of maintenance, expansion took placein all quarters. The food industry also gradually expanded in the face of alleconomic challenges. The modern era of the food industry can be attributed to thecategorization of the city into residential and commercial areas. Gulberg, once ahigh class residential area gave way to rampant commercialization. MainBoulevard of Gulberg paved the way for offices and plazas whereas MM AlamRoad became the headquarters of small businesses and restaurants. Arguably, oneof the first places that somehow expedited the modern concept of eating out was'Copper Kettle'. It primarily targeted younger adults with its unique atmosphere,unusual menu and star attractions like 'Steak' and the ever famous 'Caked Alaska'.After the success of this, one remembers restaurant after restaurant and chain afterchain dotting the face of the city.During this entire process, Pakistan caught up with globalization and internationalchains like McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut began to establish themselves on afranchise basis. The government of Pakistan also caught up with the entire theme ofindustrializing the concept of eating out. Traditional places that have always beenthe center of excellence in food and charming, rustic atmosphere like LaxmiChowk underwent a drastic face-lift. Gawalmandi and Old Anarkali weretransformed into marvelous, modern (food streets) that reflected the traditionalflavor and architecture of the city. This chain of events truly ensured that thingsdon't slow down from there onwards.In this regard, things have been anything but static in the food industry. The latesttrends are eateries and cafes that cater to customers twenty-four hours a day. Withthe emergence of 24-hour businesses like radio stations and light offices like callcenters, cafes like 'Coffee, Tea and Company' have capitalized on the opportunity toincrease their clientele. In addition to this, there are scores of coffee shops, cafes,and dessert joints across the city. Probably the driving force behind their success isthat many people find time to socialize and catch up with friends between meals, inwhat we know to be "tea time". In other cases, strategic location might paydividends in earning extra clientele attracted from nearby shops and businesses.Indeed, with the accelerated development of night life in Lahore the future lies inmore 24-hour cafes, restaurants and drive-through eateries.One might argue that there is too much emphasis on satiating the pleasures of thepalate and the higher needs of people are neglected. However, the sad reality is thatthere is a staggering dearth of modes of entertainment in the city, and all over thecountry. There is no concept of developing public libraries, no encouragement oravailability of affordable sporting facilities, no intellectual forums or worthwhilemovie theaters. It seems that the only way in which people find some happiness isin having a meal with family or friends in one of the many restaurants available.Apparently, Elsa Schiaparelli, had Lahore in mind when she said that "A good cookis like a sorceress who dispenses happiness". One must concede that along with themind-boggling development in business and commerce, the food industry hascontinued to expand its roots deeper and deeper into society. The famous Americanchef Fanny Farmer foresaw this fact when she said "Progress in civilization hasbeen accompanied by progress in cookery".Culture and food are inseperable. particularly in Lahore, food is the culture. It is aphenomenon which is enjoyed by people today, as it has been enjoyed andcherished long in the past, and will continue to do so in the future, as the food

industry develops further and more avenues are explored in the exciting world ofpalatal delights.

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