San Francisco-based executive protection specialist Michael Spearman works as a global director of protective services at Oracle Corporation. To this position, he brings over three decades of experience. Away from work, San Francisco-based businessman Michael Spearman enjoys cooking and reviewing restaurants.

In terms of human existence, food is a universal experience, a shared foundation. People tend to trade the complexity of their reality through a bite, a sip, and a listening ear. However, food has varied meanings and significance in different cultures.

Cultural influences cause differences in how people eat specific foods and how they are prepared, and in some cases, can lead to dietary limitations. However, people tend to acquire new culinary habits as they travel and come in contact with other cultures.

What people cook and how they cook reflect who they are and where they came from. Every destination is associated with a dish or cuisine based on culture and identity. For example, the Asians are known for their seafood, the Africans for their spicy cuisines, and the Mexicans for their chimichangas. How people present their food to foreigners is sometimes a massive demonstration of cultural pride and traditions.

In some cultures, some food is believed to be prohibited from human consumption. For example, the cow is a sacred animal to Hindus, and beef is not considered a food. Pork is also not to be eaten by Islamic religious law. These examples demonstrate how eating preferences are influenced by culture.