Following up on my earlier series about the possibility of using video games to teach the next generation about Judaism, I wanted to explore another topic. One genre of video game that has become popular in recent years is cooking video games. These include games like Cooking Mama, but also more offbeat and zany games such as Overcooked among others. This has led me to wonder, what if there were a video game about cooking that could be used to pass on information about Jewish food and kosher traditions.
Such a game could be made in multiple ways, as a serious game about learning the traditions, or a more laid back and zany approach that transmits the information in an offbeat way. A game like Overcooked is obviously meant as an arcade-style game, but it still could be used for teaching. Imagine a rush to get the food assembled and out as quickly as possible, while maintaining proper kosher standards. In addition, this does not need to rely on one set of what is considered proper kosher standards either, as a developer could include options that are more permitting, Orthodox standards, and more. This could give a lot of variety in terms of gameplay options, as one could learn about what various denominations consider proper kosher standards. You would be graded on how well you perform and how fast you get the dishes out, and how much they are in line with the selected level of kashrut.
To build on this, imagine the denominations that are more permissive of various food combinations having specific dishes being prepared, while the stricter denominations would have their own set of dishes to work with. This would make it much less like in-game difficulty settings, and instead offer replay options and more variety to the experience. This way, players learning about kashrut would get to have more of an idea on what each denomination can eat and what is not acceptable for them. This could help foster more understanding, but this leads to another point. The game would need to teach not only the rules of kashrut, but also some of the deeper meaning for why. Some denominations will not mix fish and other meats for example, and this is something that can be elaborated on and explained. The deeper teachings regarding kashrut can be delved into, along with stories of how dishes were adapted to fit kosher diets. This can include Italian Jews making special meats from goose meat, as stand-ins for the various pork-based meats, and the use of beef bacon as a stand-in for pork bacon.
Of course, learning about Kashrut laws would only be one aspect of this, as the various culinary traditions of the different Jewish communities could be explored in such a game. This could rely on a more serious game about cooking and getting the dishes right while exploring the history of the dishes, or the arcade-like style mentioned above, or even something halfway between the two. As mentioned above, various communities developed their own versions of Jewish cuisine with a lot of varieties among the different groups. A game that also explores the history of the dishes can help illuminate more details about how Jews contributed to the various cuisines of their host countries, with Italian Jews creating many dishes like Suppli, that have been adopted by the larger Italian communities. It can also help show that many Ashkenazi dishes have some Sephardic roots like Ptcha, which was brought to Poland’s Jewish communities by Turkish Jews. In turn, there are Sephardic dishes that have roots in Ashkenazi cuisine as well, and this could be something to explore. Many Jews from each community like to joke about other communities’ foods, and while often done in good humor, there often is a lot of misunderstanding as well. For instance, Jewish deli foods could be explored for the deeper variety than most actually know, such as dishes like Karnetzal, which is sadly not as well known of a dish as it deserves to be.
There is also the fact, that many underrepresented Jewish communities have their own history with food that is rarely addressed, such as Kavkazi Jews, Romaniotes, and more. I was at a Kavkazi synagogue for Simchat Torah one year, and there was a meal served before the celebration. This was food I was experiencing for the first time, and thanks to the Rabbi’s sons whom I was friends with, I got to learn a lot more about Kavkazi food and what was considered a good dish, and what was not. The work that went into making the food was different than what I was used to seeing, but it interested me, and this desire to learn more about the food of other Jewish communities is something I feel other Jews have but without the ability to easily learn more. Providing a video game that teaches about the different food preparations and dishes would be a fantastic learning tool and something that can help bring communities together. After all, food is something that unifies people, and coming together this way would help strengthen ties between the various Jewish groups.
In this way, a game that judges you on each dish’s authenticity, proper preparation, speed of preparation would be a valuable teaching asset, and especially for those seeking this information. A separate option to test the adherence to kashrut laws and the ability to find good substitutes for ingredients that do not meet kosher dietary guidelines would fit the other aspect of this exercise. Judging based on speed would also be a good way to determine how skilled you have become while adapting the correct information and adjusting the setting to the different denomination’s standards would add more insight as well. After all, while some Jews may be willing to eat a dish one way, other denominations would demand changes.
Such a game would be ideal for some schools, and I think the various educational groups that serve the Jewish community should consider looking into this. After all, it could help make clear what they have tried to teach before.
