Abstract
The growing exposure to globalization, since 1990s, has initiated some significant alterations to the Lebanese economy, society, and culture. For the last two decades, it has been observed that international cuisines and eccentric menu items have been invading the local market and taking over ethnic and traditional cuisines, what threatens, if this trend continues, the identity of traditional cuisine and, consequently, the sustainability of local food culture. 
 
 Departing from the case of Lebanon, this paper studies the impact of globalization on traditional cuisine and highlights the role of networks in sustaining local food culture. The findings of our empirical study revealed the necessity to modernize the traditional cuisine through a coordinated set of heterogeneous and professional actors who collectively take part in the process. The ability of these actors to innovate is found related to the organizational conditions of the networks to which they belong, and to the ability of these networks for innovation, what refers us to the concept of “innovation network” that we are proposing, through this study, as a solution to the dilemma of food - culture preservation and sustainability.
Highlights
The Lebanese cuisine is known for its legendary savor and its lavish food varieties, what makes it one of the greatest cuisines of the Middle East, and the Levant
The creativity and innovation of international restaurants have persuaded local ones to modernize their cuisine, what caused a gradual displacement of the identity of traditional Lebanese cuisine and led us to wonder whether globalization represents a real threat or an opportunity to national economy and culture
We can conclude that traditional Lebanese cuisine, whether being a fast-food or a casual diner, should focus on price, service standards and food creativity in its modernization process while keeping an eye on food variety and portion size
Summary
The Lebanese cuisine is known for its legendary savor and its lavish food varieties, what makes it one of the greatest cuisines of the Middle East, and the Levant These characteristics result from cultural amalgamation and accumulation of the different civilizations that occupied Lebanon over the years, adding to that, the traditions of local communities who developed their own recipes based on territorial specialties. Despite the fact that the Lebanese community is attached to its culture and traditions, to its cuisine, Lebanese people love to explore new cultures and keen on creativity and innovation This could explain why, based on the results of our study, the choice of families has been shifting towards international cuisines and modernized Lebanese cuisine over the last two decades (based on cross-tabulation analyses for the favorite restaurant type and concept, 43.75% of respondents who favor fast-food prefer international cuisines and 31.25% of these respondents favor the modernized Lebanese cuisine). We should not forget the rising of health consciousness in the Lebanese community, what promotes back again the traditional cuisine on behalf of the international and may foster, at a later stage, the home-made meals
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