Examples of eating are woven through all six episodes of the Star Wars saga. In a galaxy ruled by a Republic, then Empire, of millions of systems and trillions of inhabitants, you would think food automation would be a given. And there is some of it in evidence, but mostly in the form of the society’s de facto slaves — the droids, who function in more or less human ways. By and large, however, humans still cook.
Despite being in the middle of a foreboding desert planet, Aunt Beru cooks her meals in a rather pleasant kitchen, utilizing some sort of food processor, but using actual ingredients. The family sits down at a dinner table to eat.
Yoda on Dagobah expresses astonishment when he first meets Luke, marveling that the latter got so big eating tasteless military rations. Luke didn’t, of course: he had Aunt Beru.
Later, we see Yoda, the greatest Jedi Master who ever lived, cooking a simple meal over a fire in his hovel. Luke is hot-headed and impulsive. Yoda preaches patience.
Is it any coincidence Lando reveals his betrayal as he supposedly brings his “friends” to “dinner”?
In Episode VI, we see near the beginning a huge party on Jabba’s barge, then later a giant feast served up by diminutive Ewoks. “I am rather embarrassed, General Solo, but it appears that you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor,” C-3P0 says. Han says about his best friend, Chewbacca, “Always thinking with his stomach.”
Even in the newer, prequel trilogy, Anakin’s mother in the first episode cooks for Qui-Gon, Amadala, and Jar-Jar. In the second episode, Obi-Wan’s friend is a cook in a diner.
Finish up “Cooking with Phasers!” in Part 5: The journey
Or see previous section, Part 3: Star Trek
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