Food and Communications - a common denominator?

This last weekend I had the opportunity to go to an excellent buffet that was organized to celebrate the 23rd birthday of a restaurant that specializes in New Orleans style cuisine. I've been going to this restaurant on and off since 1996 and have always enjoyed the food and friendliness of the place.

This weekend I went with my wife and son at around lunch time. What I noticed was that as the place began to fill-up the amount and volume of the conversations increased as well. Further, people and groups of people who did not arrive together started conversations about the food and then about other topics. (The majority of the people at the event were long-term US expatriates and their families.)

Now this is not necessarily unique or even particularly interesting - but what struck me was that all cultures that I am familiar with, indicate that people enjoy talking and socializing over a meal. Thus, regardless of whether the operative culture is high or low context, individualistic or collective, high contact or low contact - people seem to like to get together to share food and drink. While there are differences in the mechanics of the serving/eating process and clearly important differences in the food itself - the core process of socializing and eating seem to be common to all.