As a restaurant critic and a food lover, I know that there’s a growing stigma surrounding foodies. When a restaurant worker hears I’m a foodie, I see that eye roll they do. I see the look of worry set in. Truth be told, a lot of “foodies” just use the label to sound pretentious, bash waitstaff, and look more sophisticated than they really are.
In my opinion, foodies have a duty to police others who are making the lot of us look bad. Worried your friend is an insufferable foodie? Here are seven signs you may need to step in…
- You see them berate waitstaff over the food or drinks. This is never okay, regardless of how bad the food is. Waiters are not the ones who made the food, so why punish them? Sadly, many “foodies” just use their title as an excuse to do this.
- They are trying strange food combinations that you know don’t taste good, just to prove they are sophisticated. Being a foodie is about enjoying good food and appreciating its history, not about cramming exotic ingredients willy-nilly down your throat. Just tell them to knock it off.
- You’re getting the feeling they think simple recipes can’t be good. New doesn’t always equal better. Sometimes, a classic bowl of red beans n’ rice works just as well as a molecular gastronomy meal. Food is about the experience, not about novelty.
- The food they insist on eating is the new trend du jour. Did you ever notice how aggravating it is to see people hop from trend to trend, never really showing a true preference for anything? Yeah, stop that.
- Your friend makes snarky comments about personal preferences. While there are some general rules people abide by when serving food or eating food, the truth is that food is a very personal matter. Everyone has their own preferences, and sometimes, those aren’t mainstream. If your friend ends up making comments about a food item being mundane, wrong, or mainstream, it might be time to put them in check.
- It almost seems ilke they go to restaurants to critiicize them. A little critique is great, as long as they also focus on the good aspects of a meal too. Unfortunately, a lot of foodies seem to take going out as a way to disparage restaurants and the food they make. That’s not pleasant nor fair.
You honestly get embarrassed to be around them at a restaurant or when they’re eating. Do you get worried about your friend’s reaction to foods presented to them? Do you actively avoid hanging out with them because of it? It may be time to reel their behavior in just a little.
