Nobody loves food more than Houstonians. We have the best restaurants on the planet, and we’re always looking for the next cutting-edge concoction or fine-tuned reduction. By all accounts, we are the very definition of “foodies.” But lately, the word that once described a passionate diner and lover of the culinary arts has adopted a new connotation… a more negative one.
Katharine Shilcutt of the Houston Press recently wrote a blog discussing the foodie backlash, and she made some interesting points. Sometimes we get too focused on finding the most outlandish ingredients and the trendiest dishes. Sometimes we get caught up in the latest and greatest, and we don’t support the tried and true. And perhaps, our noses are so high in the sky we can’t smell the good things right in front of us. But sometimes trying new things is fun, right? And juicy pork on a stick is delicious, even if it is ridiculous. Where does one cross the line from an enthusiastic eater to an exasperating epicurean?
First we need to understand the history of “foodie.” According to Wikipedia, there is a distinct gastronomical hierarchy ranging from goinfre (greedy-guts) to gastronome and is as follows:
Gastronome
Gourmet (A connoisseur of food and drink)
Friand (Epicure)
Gourmand (One who enjoys eating)
Goulu (Glutton)
Goinfre (Greedy-guts)
Where does foodie fit in? It is a more informal term coined by Paul Levy and Ann Barr in 1981 (that apparently should have been copyrighted). Now we see it everywhere – on our Central Market customer cards, on every restaurant website and all over food blogs and media. And those words up there? Goulu? It’s almost as bad as its meaning, so there’s no wonder it never caught on.
But the real story behind the foodie (at least the one WE believe) is not about being an expert or a snob – it’s about truly enjoying the experience of a meal. Whether it’s with friends or family, at home or at a restaurant, a foodie appreciates the time, the conversation and yes, the food, and focuses on the relationships between those entities. It was originally meant to avoid the elitist implication of words like gourmet and gourmand, and yet, it seems like its interpretation is trending in the opposite direction. One article reveals the changing definition over time, and for those of you considering yourselves foodies today, it doesn’t look good.
So what do we do? Some of us really do love being a foodie for all of the right reasons! How do we reclaim our adorable and down-to-earth title?
We don’t think it’s too late, and we can make a turnaround one baby bite at a time. Houston has a welcoming community, so bring your friends (even those who aren’t foodies) to your favorite restaurants and show them your amazing dishes (like Shilcutt did). Enjoy every morsel of the meal, but make sure you’re satisfying more than just your taste buds. Include conversation and interaction in every meal, and let the people you share it with know you care more about them than your next course. No pretension. No competition. Just good old-fashioned eating.
What do you think about the foodie backlash? Do you use the term “foodie”? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Serving Houston - The official blog of the GHRA. 
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