What is a "Foodie"?

[BruceMuzz]

I must confess that as a self-described "Foodie", I am often perplexed by some of the postings on this section of the board.

Full disclosure:

A Food and Beverage Director at some of the World's Best Hotels

Never a Professional Chef

General Manager of America's First 3-Star Michelin Restaurant

At one point I had dined in every 3-star Michelin Restaurant in France

Earned a degree in Oenology at UC Davis

Hotel Manager on International Cruise Ships for many years

 

I Googled "Foodie". The result is below:

 

What it means to be a foodie?

A foodie is defined as someone who has a refined interest in food. They don't just eat food out of necessity, hunger or a need to survive, but also due to their invested interest. To a foodie, food is a hobby.

 

When I see people posting about ketchup, peanut butter, things they refuse to eat, favorite hamburger style, are these people really "foodies"?

[Harters]

I used to play on a now defunct food/restaurant forum where most contributors were North American, with a scattering of folk, like me, from elsewhere in the world. There "foodie" (or the alternative spelling "foody" which I generally use to describe myself in such cicumstances) was only ever mentioned by way of insult. The intent, much advocated by the site owners, was that contributors were different and better than foodies. Contributors set standards, foodies only followed the crowd. It's not a view I was ever at all comfortable with.

 

I'm not sure exactly how I define it, although I'm happy to describe myself as such to others. It's a word that generally conveys my interest in food and is readily understood (if not necessarily accurately) by others who don't have that level of interest.

 

I rather like the extract you found "To a foodie, food is a hobby". I enjoy the whole process of, say, visiting a restaurant - deciding where to go, thinking about what I might eat from the online menu, the food when I get there, the atmosphere of the place and, finally, writing a review (for my own records but they also usually appear somewhere online). And, at home, I enjoy the planning of meals, shopping for ingredients, cooking them and, of course, eating them. So, if folk want to discuss peanut butter as part of that hobby, then yes, they are foodies (disclosure - always smooth peanut butter in this house, not chunky). As for ketchup, Felicity Cloake's "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce", devotes a whole book to whether a cooked breakfast should be accompanied by brown sauce or red (ketchup). I'm a red person.

 

Full disclosure. Fat greedy Briton who has eaten at many places  over the years, from back street "rice and three" curry cafes to Michelin starred places (63 of those).

 

 

[BklynBoy8]

Straight and Narrow..........

 

If one is offended with the style of this Forum called Cruise Foodies, then contact Cruise Critics.

 

Ask them to start a Board Forum Topic with ex. Cruise Refined Food or Cuisine Discussions.

 

I believe this would be the only solution. I honestly don't think Cruise Critics will Close Down or Lock this Forum after years of posted exchanges since 2004.

 

IMHO......

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by BklynBoy8

[CntPAcruiser]

For purposes of CC, I think a foodie can be defined as someone with an interest in food, not as refined, necessarily, but as more than mere sustenance. Cruise Foodies is a fun place to talk about food topics that may or may not have to do with cruising. "Forum" is defined as a public meeting place for open discussion, so it won't be limited to those with refined tastes or interests. It's open, for better or worse, and anyone is free to post, read, or not read as they choose. 

[BklynBoy8]

23 minutes ago, CntPAcruiser said:

For purposes of CC, I think a foodie can be defined as someone with an interest in food, not as refined, necessarily, but as more than mere sustenance. Cruise Foodies is a fun place to talk about food topics that may or may not have to do with cruising. "Forum" is defined as a public meeting place for open discussion, so it won't be limited to those with refined tastes or interests. It's open, for better or worse, and anyone is free to post, read, or not read as they choose. 

 

DITTO......

 

It is a fun place and I actually learned a lot by others. If there was anything wrong being posted, CC would have addressed it.

 

They see the togetherness of all and the conversations being exchanged.

 

BTW.... I too can post my resume of Culinary experiences that I have been blessed to have experienced. But a Knish or Hot Dog on the street can be found inviting and tasty if handled properly....IMHO,,,,,, 

Edited June 11, 2023 by BklynBoy8

[martincath]

10 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

When I see people posting about ketchup, peanut butter, things they refuse to eat, favorite hamburger style, are these people really "foodies"?

If you claim to be a foodie but have no opinion of something with as many common iterations as a burger, then you're more of a food snob Bruce! 😉

 

And ketchup - jeez, I know people who have shouting matches about whether Hunts or Heinz is the best American major-brand ketchup (both suck equally IMO), others who refuse to use anything other than the pronunciation 'catsup' when talking about it, and yet others who will never say ketchup without saying the relevant primary ingredient first as it was originally a generic term for a style of condiment, made with e.g. mushrooms long before anyone thought to use tomatoes.

 

I do think the term food(ie/y) has been and is definitely used pejoratively, neutrally and positively depending who's talking - the recent movie The Menu is a fantastic example of taking the attitude of some 'real pros' being dismissive of 'mere foodies' to the extreme! Like Trekkie/Trekker, there will be waves of terminology, attempts at inclusivity that back-fire into attempted gate-keeping, but at the end of the day I think it boils down to whether you invest more time and effort into learning about and enjoying food, of whatever kind, than the minimum needed to prepare it and eat it.

 

If you give a proverbial cra*p about any kind of food, to the extent you're happy to debate about it with someone else, you're a foodie IMO. Maybe a niche foodie if you only care about burgers and ketchup - but no more niche than if you only care about Michelin restos!

Edited June 11, 2023 by martincath
spelling

[CGTNORMANDIE]

I think the term FOODIE as used here on CC deserves a wider tolerance than is the norm since it pertains to cruising and the inordinate fascination with food at sea.  Ships live or die based upon their reputation for good cuisine served onboard.  Although this forum frequently digresses to onshore establishments and condiments the main theme is still food at sea.

[Dreamer68]

I read this topic with MUCH interest. I was thrilled to find a special interest Cruise Conversation like "Cruise Foodies". For a definition of "foodie", I lean towards the one that includes "A foodie seeks new food experiences as a hobby rather than simply eating out of convenience or hunger" and this one offered by a contributor to the Urban Dictionary -

"Foodie: A person that spends a keen amount of attention and energy on knowing the ingredients of food, the proper preparation of food, and finds great enjoyment in top-notch ingredients and exemplary preparation. A foodie is not necessarily a food snob, only enjoying delicacies and/or food items difficult to obtain and/or expensive foods; though, that is a variety of foodie."

A food snob (as defined above re: expensive) misses out on some of the most incredible edible experiences by turning up their noses on seemingly "lowly" places like a roadside stall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the cooks operate out of their makeshift kitchen attached to his motorcycle, with 2 or 3 folding tables and some folding stools for his/ her "restaurant" where the music/ ambiance includes the sputter of engines or whirs of bicycles as various vehicles or modes of transportation whiz by, where the sun, shade, or breeze can add to or take away from the enjoyment of what has just sizzled out of their woks. It's the kind of experience the likes of Anthony Bourdain (love or hate him if you wish) or Gordon Ramsay (love or hate him if you wish) and other Western chefs have had the privilege to experience and appreciate.

I am blessed to have grown up a chunk of my life in South East Asia where street food quality, freshness, and/or taste rivals that of 5-star hotels like the Mandarin Orientals or the Grand Hyatts in the country and equally blessed to live now in a city where we have the likes of Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, Chuck Hughes, and others.

I am hoping I can pose questions to gather great food experiences from foodies on this forum for different travel destinations (yes, off the ship 😉). These will help me choose and/ or plan my cruise vacations. Hope that is okay!🙏

Edited August 5, 2023 by Dreamer68
Punctuation

[CGTNORMANDIE]

The French have a famous saying…”Vivre pour manger ou manger pour vivre”.  Do you live to eat or do you eat to live.  Foodies definitely live to eat!  

[Hlitner]

To me, the answer is quite simple.  Some

folks eat to live and they are not “foodies.”  Those of us who live to eat…are foodies.  

[CGTNORMANDIE]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

To me, the answer is quite simple.  Some

folks eat to live and they are not “foodies.”  Those of us who live to eat…are foodies.  

C’est si vrai monsieur Hank!