Beyond the Plate: Unravelling Southeast Asia’s Culinary and Cultural Networks

For many, food is a daily ritual. For Michael Dunford, it became the foundation of a PhD exploring the intersection of business culture and food culture across the shifting borders of mainland Southeast Asia—particularly Myanmar and Thailand. His research delves into how markets, migration, and history intertwine to shape foodways and commerce in the region.

Drawn to the ANU School of Culture, History & Language (CHL) —in the College of Asia and the Pacific—for its distinctive blend of disciplinary depth and interdisciplinary engagement, Mike found the perfect setting to examine the trans-regional connections shaping Southeast Asia over time. His fieldwork took him deep into bustling border markets, where economic networks and cultural traditions converge.

Throughout his PhD, the CHL community played a pivotal role. During the challenges of COVID-19, faculty and students created an intellectual refuge through reading groups and discussions, ensuring that engagement and camaraderie thrived despite lockdowns. But it was one-on-one mentorship that truly shaped his journey. Dr. Jane Ferguson encouraged him to study Burmese under Dr. Yuri Takahashi, sparking an unexpected passion for the language—one that led to lifelong connections with scholars and friends across Myanmar and beyond.

Beyond academia, Mike’s expertise extends into translation and linguistic work, particularly with Burmese and Thai, bridging research with real-world application. His passion for historical and contemporary narratives of food and trade continues to drive his scholarship.

Now, with his PhD complete, Mike is embarking on the next chapter as a Research and Teaching Fellow at the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. He looks forward to continuing his interdisciplinary work and hopes to cross paths with ANU colleagues in the city-state.

For those considering a research degree at CHL and CAP, Mike’s advice is simple: embrace the journey, build strong connections with your fellow PhD students, and start writing early—even if it’s messy.

“Writing is thinking,” he reflects, “and I had the privilege of learning how to think from my peers and mentors at CHL.”