Navigating Authenticity and Adaptation: Crafting Value Propositions in Indian Restaurants in Denmark: Exploring Cultural Translation and Value Co-Creation in Denmark’s Dining Scene
Author
Term
4. Semester
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-01-14
Pages
48
Abstract
This study examines how a selected group of Indian restaurants in Denmark navigates the challenge of positioning themselves competitively in the local dining market by balancing culinary heritage with market expectations. Moving beyond a sole focus on customer perceptions, the research highlights the strategic perspectives of restaurant operators- owners, managers, and chefs whose day-to-day decisions shape how Indian cuisine is presented and experienced in a Danish context. Informed by Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic, the study approaches value as an outcome co-created through interaction. Empirical material was gathered through qualitative, open-ended questionnaires completed by ten industry professionals across Denmark. These first-hand accounts were supported by consultation of the restaurants’ digital presence for contextual orientation. Within this dataset, authenticity emerges not as a fixed attribute but as a negotiated, situational practice. Participants described preserving core culinary traditions while making deliberate adaptations, notably in spice levels and service formats to align with local preferences. The findings point to strategic hybridity as a central approach for managing the tension between heritage and market fit. This process of cultural translation facilitates what participants framed as “safe novelty,” allowing diners to explore unfamiliar flavors within a trustworthy setting. Overall, the study offers context-specific insights into the role of the ethnic restaurateur as a cultural intermediary, whose strategic choices shape meaningful cross-cultural culinary encounters.
This study examines how a selected group of Indian restaurants in Denmark navigates the challenge of positioning themselves competitively in the local dining market by balancing culinary heritage with market expectations. Moving beyond a sole focus on customer perceptions, the research highlights the strategic perspectives of restaurant operators- owners, managers, and chefs whose day-to-day decisions shape how Indian cuisine is presented and experienced in a Danish context. Informed by Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic, the study approaches value as an outcome co-created through interaction. Empirical material was gathered through qualitative, open-ended questionnaires completed by ten industry professionals across Denmark. These first-hand accounts were supported by consultation of the restaurants’ digital presence for contextual orientation. Within this dataset, authenticity emerges not as a fixed attribute but as a negotiated, situational practice. Participants described preserving core culinary traditions while making deliberate adaptations, notably in spice levels and service formats to align with local preferences. The findings point to strategic hybridity as a central approach for managing the tension between heritage and market fit. This process of cultural translation facilitates what participants framed as “safe novelty,” allowing diners to explore unfamiliar flavors within a trustworthy setting. Overall, the study offers context-specific insights into the role of the ethnic restaurateur as a cultural intermediary, whose strategic choices shape meaningful cross-cultural culinary encounters.
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