So I'm watching this show on the USA Network called Suits and in it one of the characters has to plan a dinner for all the new law associates in the office at a trendy restaurant in town, so he goes to the office manager and asks if she can help him and she says no, why should I? And he says rather derisively, because your like some foodie and you know this stuff. She replies, if you mean I like food, then yes I am a foodie and no I won't help you. And to be honest with the kind of attitude he gave about it I wouldn't help him either, no matter how cute he was. But just like that the term foodie seems to have fallen into the realm of snarky, slightly insulting, looked down upon terms like trendy, baby boomer, gen-x, bourgeois, feminist, start-up or hipster.
Of course I can totally understand the condescension (that means talking down to...) for some of these, like hipster. For those who aren't aware what one is click on Urban Dictionary for a straightforward and earnest description. Leaving out the fact that of their smug unawareness and rampant search for irony in everything not to mention they always look like they just rolled out of bed, picked up what was on the floor to wear and walked out the door, even though they probably spent several hours trying to create that particular look all the while missing out on the very irony that what they are trying to convey is a casual readiness and not a structured look. It seems ragging on hipsters has begun the norm as evidenced by an article on SFGate about the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and the subsequent backlash/support the writer got from so-called hipsters prompting his reply article Hipsters: A field guide. TV has even gotten on the bash-wagon as seen in an episode of sitcom Happy Endings. Let's face it they really do put themselves up for abuse with their ironic smugness. I'm too old to be a hipster--I can tell this because when I gather with friends to play Yahtzee
in bad 80's clothing is for nostalgia (and I really like Yahtzee) not because it's ironic.
But sadly, the same thing seems to be happening to the term foodie, which is a shame, because like the character from Suits I like food and if that means being a foodie then so be it. I blame some of this new derision on hipsters as they seem to have taken over some food related events in San Francisco--not because they enjoy and respect the art of food, but because they think it's kooky fun to gather in an abandoned warehouse and drink than appreciate the underground aspect of these new chefs trying to create a name and product for themselves. One of these events I went to which was trying to give new food entrepreneurs an outlet turned into a hangout for the freshly tousled crowd who didn't even bother engaging with the cooks and learning about the food they were getting. I think the phrase I heard the most from the crowd was--"Yeah, whatever, will that take long?" I wanted to choke them with their Where's Waldo scarves. And because they so want to be on the cutting edge of what's trendy they fill up and overcrowd the new food places with long lines and loud noise not caring about the food but just wanting to be seen. This mere fact of causing me to wait in line to most any restaurant in this town makes me dislike them even more, especially in this day where many new places will not take reservations for parties smaller than five or six.
So I say don't hate the true foodie, but hate the faux foodie hipster who makes it difficult for the rest of us that appreciate the culinary skill of combining flavors to create new, complex and delicious delights to tantalize our palates, temp our taste buds and satisfy our growling stomachs in a city where new places to eat open (and sadly close) on a daily basis. For all those out there who like food and dislike irony, stand up and reclaim foodie as a term for good and not for eye-rolling derision.
Answer to previous posts question: The Surprise of a Knight
This posts trivia question: When and who created tater tots?
Of course I can totally understand the condescension (that means talking down to...) for some of these, like hipster. For those who aren't aware what one is click on Urban Dictionary for a straightforward and earnest description. Leaving out the fact that of their smug unawareness and rampant search for irony in everything not to mention they always look like they just rolled out of bed, picked up what was on the floor to wear and walked out the door, even though they probably spent several hours trying to create that particular look all the while missing out on the very irony that what they are trying to convey is a casual readiness and not a structured look. It seems ragging on hipsters has begun the norm as evidenced by an article on SFGate about the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and the subsequent backlash/support the writer got from so-called hipsters prompting his reply article Hipsters: A field guide. TV has even gotten on the bash-wagon as seen in an episode of sitcom Happy Endings. Let's face it they really do put themselves up for abuse with their ironic smugness. I'm too old to be a hipster--I can tell this because when I gather with friends to play Yahtzee
in bad 80's clothing is for nostalgia (and I really like Yahtzee) not because it's ironic. But sadly, the same thing seems to be happening to the term foodie, which is a shame, because like the character from Suits I like food and if that means being a foodie then so be it. I blame some of this new derision on hipsters as they seem to have taken over some food related events in San Francisco--not because they enjoy and respect the art of food, but because they think it's kooky fun to gather in an abandoned warehouse and drink than appreciate the underground aspect of these new chefs trying to create a name and product for themselves. One of these events I went to which was trying to give new food entrepreneurs an outlet turned into a hangout for the freshly tousled crowd who didn't even bother engaging with the cooks and learning about the food they were getting. I think the phrase I heard the most from the crowd was--"Yeah, whatever, will that take long?" I wanted to choke them with their Where's Waldo scarves. And because they so want to be on the cutting edge of what's trendy they fill up and overcrowd the new food places with long lines and loud noise not caring about the food but just wanting to be seen. This mere fact of causing me to wait in line to most any restaurant in this town makes me dislike them even more, especially in this day where many new places will not take reservations for parties smaller than five or six.
So I say don't hate the true foodie, but hate the faux foodie hipster who makes it difficult for the rest of us that appreciate the culinary skill of combining flavors to create new, complex and delicious delights to tantalize our palates, temp our taste buds and satisfy our growling stomachs in a city where new places to eat open (and sadly close) on a daily basis. For all those out there who like food and dislike irony, stand up and reclaim foodie as a term for good and not for eye-rolling derision.
Yam-Yam tater tots and cilantro lime crema from Criolla Kitchen
Answer to previous posts question: The Surprise of a Knight
This posts trivia question: When and who created tater tots?
Comments
Post a Comment