UnFoodie Adventures

So why “Un”-foodie? Well, when I think of foodie, what comes to mind is a food snob with an air of pretentiousness, whom I’d frankly like to poke a little fun at. And while, at the most base level, a foodie is someone “who is very, very, very interested in food” and that does apply to me, the word had taken on rather negative connotations with images of neuveau riche feigning knowledge about things they don’t really understand, pretending to appreciate for appearance sake. And now, it is almost a pejorative term, misappropriated in urban diction and decried by The NY Times, Washington Post, Saveur and many others.

I think of an UN-foodie as one of the regular folks, who truly loves the artistic expression of food, who is happy to use a dish as an excuse to learn something, and considers a meal as a gateway to a culture. It doesn’t have to be at a Michelin starred establishment – just somewhere with a spectacular culinary experience. I really want to stress experience because its not just about the food: the setting matters too and plays a significant part of the experience.

Case in point: I recall an amazing restaurant I went to in Monterey California when I was in graduate school. We had saved for a few months to splurge on this dinner. And while the food was great, the reason I recall the meal was the terrible attitude of the waiter who clearly felt it was beneath him to serve our table, either because of our age, our clothes (kakhis and a simple button down shirt – completely acceptable in California quasi-fine dining) or the questions I asked (I’ve always been very curious about the food I eat). Was he worried we wouldn’t tip him well? Who knows! But either way, neither of us enjoyed ourselves very much and it was an experience to remember – for all the wrong reasons.

I want to also distinguish the UN-foodie from the anti-foodie, whom I liken to someone who’s culinary adventure is trying the Filet-O-Fish instead of a Big-Mac. Someone who believes that food does nothing more than sustain your body and sees no value in the artistic endeavor that is a fine meal.

I believe than many of us are closeted (or outed) un-foodies, and I’m hoping this site can serve as a space for like-minded individuals to share our passion and experiences, paving the way for everyone to find new restaurants in which to revel.