ABOUT ME

the standard bio to sum it up:

Michela Siuni is an award-winning multilingual researcher working at the intersection between cultural relations and culinary practices.

She completed a MA in Anthropology of Food at SOAS (University of London) where she is currently enrolled as a PhD candidate. Her research project - funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) - explores the taste of and the taste for Korean food in the UK through the senses.

Michela also holds a MA in Global Communication from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, a MA in International Relations and Management studies from the University of Aberdeen, and a specialist diploma in Public Affairs (Level 7, CIPR accredited). Over the years she has gained extensive experience in digital marketing, reputation management, qualitative research, copyediting and public speaking across a variety of fields and geographies.

Visual anthropology in practice

My Story in a
nutshell

Long story short: I have always been interested in how people connect and what gets their attention. That’s what got me into communications and diplomacy.  

Over the years, I trained and worked as a marketing professional for non-profits and consultancies across Europe and East Asia. I hosted workshops for stakeholders from São Paulo to Hong Kong, provided strategic insights for clients heading to the World Economic Forum, and presented at conferences from Greece to Myanmar. I wrote about nation branding, women’s sports, feminist filmography and regional cuisines for a number of digital publications, and devoted my free time to a range of initiatives to foster international dialogue and cooperation with AEGEE (European Students’ Forum), Young European Leadership and the Asia-Europe Foundation.

 Until, well, I realised that, all throughout, only one thing had been constant. FOOD. 

I decided to switch career, and here I am. I am now enrolled as a doctoral researcher at SOAS (University of London) where I am exploring the taste of/for Korean food in the UK by looking at the those who make the food and the sensory experiences they create. 

It is less abstract than you think. Combining concepts and methodologies from sensory and linguistic anthropology, I am looking at the practical ways through which (Korean) food is made and sold, and how attitudes towards the cuisine are shaped from the get-go. My ambition is to shed a light on the importance of the senses in transnational food practices and highlight migrant entrepreneurs’ decision making. 

food graffiti Beijing