Food Critics

I need to make sure to do the readings on a full stomach from now on. Hearing about all these restaurants got me pretty damn hungry. I really enjoyed Sifton’s writing and his attention to detail in every aspect of the writing. Sifton allowed a snapshot to form in my head of each restaurant: the tables, the decorations, music, other guests, wait staff, chef and most importantly the food. When he loved a dish, I loved it. He was able to talk about something I knew nothing about and make me desire it. I feel like critiquing the atmosphere of a restaurant is almost as important as critiquing the food. It’s something we keep coming back in discussion, the idea of the whole dining experience. What other factors, outside of taste, contribute to a great meal? Sifton allowed his readers to see and understand every aspect of a restaurant. Both Gold and Simon seemed to get at this point as well, however, I think Sifton did it best. As restaurant-goers, people want to know about the food, but they’re also interested in the building, noise, service and who is cooking the food. Another thing I really enjoyed in Sifton’s pieces was the simplicity of his language. He came straight out and painted a clear picture. I found Gold’s pieces to be a little more complex and found myself losing interest at points. He did make me want Chinese food though. I enjoyed the bit of humor in Gold’s pieces as well. The little comments about Panda Express and Taco Tuesdays made his writing humorous and relatable. I thought Gael Greene’s letter provided a good idea of what it takes to be a food critic. To some, being a food critic sounds easy. Go to a restaurant, eat and write down if you liked it or not. No problem. But Gael Greene presents some of the tougher points in a food critic’s job. For one, you don’t make much money and it takes awhile to acquire the professional tastes of a good critic. You must be willing to experiment all different types of foods and experiment with some of your own cooking in the kitchen. The snippet about language was something that never really occurred to me. Critics must be able to at least understand a menu in a few different languages. Simon seems intense. The way in which he analyzes everything, sniffing his bread and judging the mood of the waitress, is very interesting though. Did anyone else wonder if he spilled that cup of water on purpose just to see the reaction of the waitress? Being on the wait staff and knowing a big critic is there must be nerve racking. I’m sure if one of these people walks in a restaurant (and can be recognized) that everyone in the back and on the staff is told of their arrival. I would imagine that other guest’s experiences may even be diminished because staffs must pay so close attention to food critics, in fear of a bad review.