Being A Foody: I Don't Really Get It

10 Reasons why I am a foodie:
(perhaps only 1 need apply)

10. I am trained in the culinary arts

09. I have worked in the service/food industry

08. I've tasted international cuisine in it's respective nation

07. I know how to pair food with beverage

06. I can spot errors in food service/presentation/taste/etc. AND offer solutions

05. I am concerned with the quality of my food because I am what I eat

04. I am concerned with the quality of my food service because I seek dining for luxury, not survival

03. I understand the inner workings of a restaurant

02. I believe dining is valuable and I have expectations for quality

01. I assign the same principles of economics to all things I consume, ingestible, digestible, indigestible, even Reader's Digest

i kind of agree with you brooklyn baby dady.

i do understand the foodie concept in theory (and everyone in nyc wants to think they are one, it seems) but i also don't get it when i hear absurd complaints about restaurants that are excellent.

i've been to babbo, lupa, etc etc and think al di la holds its own with its more "famous" manhattan italian eateries. when i hear people complain about al di la, i don't pay it any attention. every meal i've ever had there has been fantastic and in fact in the 2008 zagat guide, it is rated the 3rd best italian restaurant in ALL of nyc.

i've also eaten at bond street, nobu, nobu next door, and think oshima and blue ribbon are excellent at fractions of the cost.

another one is franny's. i love franny's and don't get the complaints.

i think some of these people just like to have something that they can feel superior about. for some people it's clothes, for some it's real estate or handbags or shoes...and others it's food.

i appreciate someone having a culinary background, but that's not the way 95% of the population goes about trying to enjoy a meal at a restaurant.

hmmm...would this be better if made in naples, italy circa 1960 is not something i'm thinking about when i'm out enjoying a meal in nyc.

i'm thinking about the company, the food, the drinks, the ambiance and the fact that i get to live in a city with one of the most outstanding selection of culinary delights on the planet.

I consider myself a foodie because I will eat anything that is excellently prepared no matter where I have to go to get it, no matter the price point, or cultural origins. Knowing a nations or regions food is knowing it's people and culture. I am a foodie because with ever-escalating costs I want to be sure of where I eat - I want to know/know about the owners and chefs, I want to know their philosophy of food, I want to know where my food comes from and how it was acquired and prepared - to the best of my ability to discern that information. I want to taste great food whenever possible. I am a foodie because I hate to waste my money on mediocrity. I am a foodie because I know I can get what I want for $5 as well as for $100. I am a foodie because I have friends who are executive and sous chefs and run front of the house operations who have taught me a wealth of information. I am a foodie but I hate that word ;-)

And re Al Di La - it is way beyond debate about the quality and excellence of this restaurant - it simply is a rare gem.

I am an unapologetic foodie for reasons already enumerated by previous posters. Eating good food is simply one of the nice things to look forward to every day. Naturally when you get in the habit of eating well you develop tastes & become opinionated. It becomes hard to settle for less than what you know you really like. BTW I don't think foodies care about "price points" the way you imply. Just listen to a foodie go on about a $4 banh mi, for example.

However, there's one thing I do find a little twisted. The most savage food snobbery & most vicious dispute seems to arise over the simplest of all food items. Namely, pizza, hamburgers, and bagels.

I just looked over my vacation photos and 98% were pictures of food =P~


On a second note: I have been raised in a culture of food and appreciate reviews of restaurants that don't pile on the gratuitous praise. I want to know what I WON'T like about a place. Because really, I like so many things that it's easier for me to evaluate a good dinner by what is bad than good. Not sure if that made sense

BBD.. I hope you got my apology..

And, gonner, Lobo sucks.

there's probably an example or two of a self proclaimed "foodie" on this list of reviews today about barrio...i think some people are being a bit too harsh on this place personally. uninspired food? it's a freakin' casual mexican restaurant...


http://www.brownstoner.com/restaurants/2008/08/barrio.php

Being a foodie is different than being a food snob. In a nutshell, it's all about being passionate about something: cooking, eating, ingredients, presentation. Any or all of those things.

I am not a foodie at all, I eat 2-3x a day because I have to. There are some things I do enjoy but mostly I eat to survive. I would be happy if there was a pill I could take once a day that would give me all the nutrients I need and I wouldn't be hungry. Trust me, I've gotten the horrified looks and exclamations of disbelief already so I'm used to it. Food is just not a big deal for me but then again so are a lot of other things most people seem to enjoy.

Maybe I'm off, but to me, the term foodie definitely has negative connotations...something like, foodie:food::hipster:music?

I'm a foodie because I care about what I eat and I eat for pleasure. Is that so bad?

I'm not a foodie, but Barrio is overrated. It's too expensive and does not taste all that great.

Foodie, schmoodie...what's the word for somebody who doesn't want to get ripped off at a restaurant or wait more than a half hour to get a table?

shekb wrote: Foodie, schmoodie...what's the word for somebody who doesn't want to get ripped off at a restaurant or wait more than a half hour to get a table?

SMART is the word!

sweet tea wrote: the word "foodie" is gross.

rhymes with doodie, man.