In examining the question of 'whether or not food is culture or culture food?'  The first thought that comes to my mind is the word 'medium'.  I say this because in my opinion food is the medium, that the peoples of this world apply their cultural tastes to in the form of various salts, herbs and spices.  Staple items such as various  breads, vegetables and meats are for the most part constant(medium).  The cultural variables are what is applied to the these mediums food, to generate the cultural preferences of the masses.   If one looks as baked or fried bread, lentils and potatoes  along with beef, pork chicken and fish.  One would find it prepared with different variables as different as the peoples of the world.  I believe the question to ask is; 'what is it that various peoples add culturally to food to make it culturally acceptable to their tastes?'