Food egos

Recently, I’ve noticed that restaurants are no longer judged by simply their food in America. We take into consideration the atmosphere, tone, location, and even silverware of the restaurant. The food is no longer the only aspect that allows a restaurant to stand out. I know that, personally, when I see a restaurant that is broken down and grimy, I make up my mind not to go to such a restaurant. Even if the food is possibly the most awesome food in the world, it would take a lot of coaxing to just get me to go eat in such a place. I associate the look and feel of the restaurant with bad food, just as I associate good food with a place of great class and expensive china. I think that this is because as Americans, we tend to have a bit of an ego. A place that looks broken down and dirty doesn’t seem to deserve our praise or business, all while we strive to save up enough change just to get a couple bites to eat from a place that screams extravagance. We automatically assume that this place must have better food than a place that is simply a drive thru diner. I find this quite amusing because when I travel to Vietnam a couple of years ago, I found that the people were quite different when it came to matters of food. Instead of the extravagance and money we are used to seeing here in America, I saw tiny plastic chairs and stools, and tables poorly crafted of wood or plastic. Everyone was cramped into a small space and the chopsticks and spoons looked questionable. Yet despite all of this, the food was outstanding. Inside this little space of what could only be considered someone’s garage, was absolutely delicious food. It was hot, fragrant, and downright delectable. From this time on, I tried not to judge food by the atmosphere around it because I could be missing out on some great dishes. This is why I found it incredibly funny when Craig Claiborne criticized his $4000 meal because it did not have the same class of silverware of atmosphere. I think that we all have an ego when it comes to food, and if we suppress this ego, we might just find some delicious foods. Food should be the deciding factor for a restaurant, not the other stuff.

Food and all that associated

I think that food is one of the many aspects that characterize who we are in this time and day. It is something we use to describe our nationality, our culture, and ourselves. Maybe it’s just me, but I tend to associate people with their food. Since I am Vietnamese, people often associate me with eggrolls, pho (beef noodle soup), rice, and various other dishes. I really don’t mind that people make this association because this food is a part of me. While I grew up on hamburgers and fries at times, I spent most of my solid food consuming years gorging on various authentic Vietnamese foods. Thanksgiving consisted of turkey, rice, a type of Asian salad, and various Vietnamese desserts. My mom’s cooking style fully embraces the term Asian-American. While the American foods were added more as a way to satisfy my sister and I’s cravings, they were still a part our diet. Almost every other night consisted of rice and some sort of meat and now that I am in college, I desperately miss this sort of menu. While I was happy with the American foods the first couple of days here, this feeling did not last long at all.

Food brings with it memories and emotions. When you think back to the many meals you have had, you simply don’t remember the food; you remember the situations you were experiencing when you were eating the food. I remember going to the cheesecake factory and gorging on various slices of cheesecake for my birthday. I also remember going to Vietnam and experiencing the street vendors and exotic fruits. I think that Anthony Bourdain’s book A Cook’s Tour really relates to the reader because he describes more than just the food, he describes his emotions and memories. This allows many to connect with his book because they too have their own memories with food. The only flaw that might exist is the fact that these are indeed his memories, and not the readers. Either way, I think that Anthony Bourdain has the right idea about how to describe food.