Question for Food Writers and Foodies

[Alma]

A friend's email to me this morning:

When did food reviews become so pretentious? There were half-dozen words in this review in (mid-sized daily) that I either didn't know or were purposely dolled up so as to read more for chefs than the people eating at the place. Is this common? Why?
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As a person who doesn't read a lot of food reviews, I defer to the experts on the board...

Is this common? Why?

 

[jackfinarelli]

I am not an expert. My observation is that many food writers/food journalists have come to the conclusion that their reviews have as much to do with them as the reviews do with whatever they are reviewing. I cannot tell you when that change occurred, but that is my impression of the current state of food reviewing.

 

[reformedhack]

Food writing is a lot like sportswriting, in that it has a unique vocabulary. Sportswriting, however, is more accessible to a wider audience, so the terms aren't quite so mysterious. As general interest in cuisine continues to develop, a lot of the language will be better understood. Right now, though, food writers ought to be doing a better job of explaining some of the esoteric and arcane concepts they discuss.

There is, also, a subset of the food-writing universe that likes to show off with fancy language. They're the same type of writer who loves to use sports cliches in print, a la "thinclads," "cagers" and "gridiron."

 

[User 11148]

What are some of the (allegedly) pretentious words?

 

[Alma]

What are some of the (allegedly) pretentious words?

Well, checking some of these reviews...I'm seeing French words where American words are commonly used.

 

[Mr. Sunshine]

How else are you going to get a show on the Food Network? Gotta stand out to get noticed.

 

[JRoyal]

I think in some cases, reviewers have begun to write for foodies, who they assume know the words. They write more like they're in Bon Appetit than the Podunk Daily.

 

[Mr. Sunshine]

Writers writing for writers? Can't be.

 

[JayFarrar]

I think that food writers are realizing that their readers are more sophisticated and they can use fancier words and not always explain every term.

Which isn't terribly different than sports where writers work jargon in, all the time.

The trick, of course, is managing the jargon so you don't send people scurrying to their google machine.

 

[Dick Whitman]

As general interest in cuisine continues to develop, a lot of the language will be better understood.

Continues to develop?

Good God. It's all the millennials I'm around ever talk about.

 

[User 11148]

Continues to develop?

Good God. It's all the millennials I'm around ever talk about.

NTTAWWT ... amirite?

 

[Alma]

Continues to develop?

Good God. It's all the millennials I'm around ever talk about.

Food? Or the pretension?

I guess I don't know why you'd call it "ragout" when it's a stew. But perhaps you do.

 

[murphyc]

I think that food writers are realizing that their readers are more sophisticated and they can use fancier words and not always explain every term.

Which isn't terribly different than sports where writers work jargon in, all the time.

The trick, of course, is managing the jargon so you don't send people scurrying to their google machine.

It would be entertaining to have a food writer swap spots with a sports writer.
"The Podunk quarterback saute'd the Nowheresville defense."

 

[reformedhack]

Continues to develop?
Good God. It's all the millennials I'm around ever talk about.

Surely you aren't implying interest has topped out.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Surely you aren't implying interest has topped out.

They're all going to start having kids at some point. And their interest will have to wane then, just as my generation no longer keeps up with what Trent Reznor ate for breakfast while composing his latest soundscape and Gen X'ers can't prattle off DeNiro's last 10 supporting roles.

 

[JayFarrar]

It would be entertaining to have a food writer swap spots with a sports writer.
"The Podunk quarterback saute'd the Nowheresville defense."

Does anyone remember the worst lede contest from many years back?

Maybe start it up again but using food terms, would be a silly use of everyone's valuable time.

 

[Alma]

just as my generation no longer keeps up with what Trent Reznor ate for breakfast while composing his latest soundscape.

He ate drugs.

 

[da man]

It would be entertaining to have a food writer swap spots with a sports writer.
"The Podunk quarterback saute'd the Nowheresville defense."

It's "sautéed," isn't it?


Edit: In the spirit of full disclosure I must point out that the computer's auto-whatever added the accent mark.

 

[reformedhack]

They're all going to start having kids at some point. And their interest will have to wane then, just as my generation no longer keeps up with what Trent Reznor ate for breakfast while composing his latest soundscape and Gen X'ers can't prattle off DeNiro's last 10 supporting roles.

I think there's a significant difference here. Food isn't like popular music or pop culture. Increasingly, people are taking a lot more interest in what they're eating, how they're eating it and who's preparing it. Hardcore interest might wane, but consumer habits are clearly shifting. If anything, I expect you'll see it becoming ingrained in their kids' lives, too.

Yes, some people go overboard in their culinary passion and enjoy the snobby pretense. But there are plenty of fantasy sports geeks, too.

 

[reformedhack]

It's "sautéed," isn't it?

Edit: In the spirit of full disclosure I must point out that the computer's auto-whatever added the accent mark.

You are correct, sir.

saute (noun, verb), sauteed (verb past-tense) ... I couldn't get the accent marks to appear.

(Edit a few luxury and city magazines and this stuff eventually lodges in your brain. You also keep a copy of "Food Lover's Companion" next to your AP Stylebook to help you know when to use "filet" and "fillet" ... it's a curse, I tell ya.)