Abstract

The article seeks to understand how migrant families bring life to restaurants that evoke their countries of origin. These spaces and culinary proposals are not a simple reproduction, but negotiated interpretations of culture itself during migration processes and are analyzed from a transnational approach. The methodology is based on interviews and participant observations carried out in four foreign restaurants located in Greater Valparaíso, Chile. The article contributes to the production of knowledge about migrants who have capital, exploring performances, symbols, and culinary practices that selectively show their national culture. It is concluded that these restaurants can be considered bridges between cultures by linking multiple scales with imaginaries, representations, and emotions. It articulates a discussion on ethnic economies, cultural transformations, and the production of evolving migrant identities while extending studies on recent migrations in Chile.