2 weeks ago
Chrome Plates Latest South Asian Staple Rebranded as Modern Find
Some foods that come from South Asia are getting new fancy names in other countries, and chrome plates are the newest example.
The article says this is a kind of 'cultural whitewashing'.
That means taking something from another culture and renaming it so the original culture is forgotten.
It has happened before.
'Curry' became a big umbrella word for many different South Asian foods.
A drink called 'chai tea latte' became popular, and even though 'chai' already means tea, the coffee company that made it famous did say it came from that culture.
Then 'golden lattes' appeared, which are just a drink called 'haldi doodh', but nobody mentioned where it was from.
Butter that is cooked a special way, called ghee, was renamed 'clean fat'.
An herb called Ashwagandha was called 'miracle gummies', and a fruit called kathal was called 'vegan pulled pork'.
The writer thinks this will keep happening, and chrome plates will not be the last thing to get a new name.
Chrome plates are described as the latest South Asian staple being rebranded as a modern-day find.
The article frames the practice as cultural whitewashing of South Asian food in the West.
Starbucks is credited with attributing 'chai tea lattes' to the appropriate term, despite how odd it sounded.
Other cited rebrands include golden lattes (haldi doodh), 'clean fat' (ghee), 'miracle gummies' (Ashwagandha) and 'vegan pulled pork' (Kathal).
The article notes that 'curry' became a blanket term and predicts chrome plates won't be the last rebrand.
- Who
- Western food brands and cafes rebranding South Asian staples; the article's focus is on the staples themselves, not named individuals.
- What
- Chrome plates and other South Asian staples are being renamed and presented as modern discoveries, which the article calls cultural whitewashing.
- Where
- The West, particularly western coffee culture and restaurants in foreign lands.
- When
- Exact time not specified; described as the 'latest' trend following decades of similar rebrands.
- Why
- Because the rebrands strip staples like haldi doodh, ghee, Ashwagandha and Kathal of their cultural context and present them as new finds.
Key facts
- Trend
- Chrome plates rebranded as a modern-day find
- Article framing
- Cultural whitewashing of South Asian cuisine
- Earlier rebrands
- Chai tea lattes, golden lattes, 'clean fat', 'miracle gummies', 'vegan pulled pork'
- Original terms
- Haldi doodh, ghee, Ashwagandha, Kathal
- Company mentioned
- Starbucks, credited for attributing chai to the appropriate term
- Blanket term cited
- Curry for South Asian food
- Duration of trend
- Persisted in western coffee culture for decades






