The term ‘authentic’ is widely used in describing and comparing cultural cuisine, and in an increasingly globalised world with increasingly knowledgeable customers, there is a desire to pursue food that is authentic. Yet, as populations cross borders and share food, grasping what makes food authentic is progressively more difficult Nevertheless ‘authenticity’ remains a commonly used term for evaluating food, with its exact definition open to interpretation by the individual. This research asks, “What characterises ‘authentic cuisine’ when the term is used within the hospitality industry in the United States?” It investigates the confusion surrounding authenticity, the modern diner’s preoccupation with authenticity, and ways in which authenticity is assessed. Authenticity is a social construct, with its evaluation dependent upon cultural context, thus creating further confusion. Regardless, there are modern individuals who quest for authenticity as an escape from their industrialised, everyday lives. Exploring first the modern anthropologist and then the modern tourist, the research finds parallels to the modern diner. Therefore, ambiguous and oftentimes conflicting notions of authenticity notwithstanding, there is still a desire for the modern diner to experience authentic food.

A study of literature pertaining to authenticity reveals eight characteristics: storytelling, simplicity, terroir, historical tradition, ethnic connection, personal connection, nostalgia, and aficionado identity. The research identifies the integral roles of emergent authenticity, commoditisation, and staged authenticity in assessing these characteristics, as some explicitly connect to authenticity, others merely imply authenticity, and still others are reliant upon social context. Initially, the eight characteristics appear to separately but equally contribute to authenticity; however, further investigation reveals that they are interwoven, and can amplify or diminish one another. Whereas terroir, historical tradition, and ethnic connection focus on the product, personal connection focuses on the producer. A personal connection may be tied to any of these characteristics; however, it is not obligatory for such a connection to exist for authenticity to be present. The emphasis is on the creator's intention in incorporating their artistic heritage rather than the heritage itself. The personal connection can be strengthened with nostalgia for food memories of the past, however real or imagined. These can imbue food with an aficionado identity for the consumer, who can experience an authentic connection with an object, thus authenticating the object and themself.

The Mission burrito is chosen as a case study subject because of its unique positioning in the American foodscape. The research finds early iterations of the Mission burrito congruent with characteristics of authentic Mexican cuisine. As the Mission burrito strays from its birthplace, the Mission District of San Francisco, California, USA, it evolves beyond the cycle of emergent authenticity. Commoditisation takes a strong hold on the Mission burrito, and it no longer exhibits characteristics of authenticity. The approach used in this study is a potential way to assess authenticity in other foods with immigrant origins within the American hospitality industry. There is also a possibility of broadening the application of this framework in other areas of gastronomy and anthropology as a whole.