What is a Foodie?

Voltaire once claimed, “Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.” In today’s society, this statement still holds true. Looking at the abundance of restaurants and fast food chains that overrun the nation, one could say that food is one of the most important things from birth until death. However, Voltaire’s phrase also asserts that eating is an immense pleasure for the human senses. Everyone’s definition of pleasure is different; the most important question is: Can one afford the greatest pleasure?

The dictionary’s definition of a foodie is “someone who has an ardent or refined interest in food.” What is the meaning of “refined food” though? Is it food that is prepared in a master chef’s kitchen? A food so expensive that only the most high class people may afford it? Or is it food that explodes abundances of flavor into one’s mouth? Food that hurtles one’s senses into overdrive and brings about such a state of happiness that one can’t help but smile? I would argue it’s the less expensive but still insanely memorable route. Enjoying food and spending a lot of money on food is not the same thing. Some people think that spending a lot of money on a small amount of food is a better experience than going to a buffet with friends and eating all-you-can-eat. In my opinion, they are sadly mistaken. It doesn’t matter where you eat or what you eat; as long as one can enjoy the food and the company.

Let’s compare 2 people:

Éclair Tonnerre comes from a family originating from France. She lives in a mansion in California and has maids and butlers following her every whim and will. Frequently for lunch she dines with celebrities whom she knows very well. She claims she is a foodie because she eats at 4 star restaurants that most everyone cannot afford. Is she correct in her statement?

Linda Jones is a divorced middle class woman raising 4 children by herself. During the day she works two jobs and then has to rush back home to watch her kids for the rest of the day. During the weekends Linda takes her children out to buffets and takes great pleasure in watching them “inhale” their food. Linda claims she is a foodie because she eats food that she enjoys but can still afford. Is she correct in her statement?

If you had to choose between Éclair and Linda, who would you chose? The correct answer should be neither. To be a foodie is not only to like food, but to be interested in it. Just as a good student will have a thirst for knowledge, a foodie wants to learn about food. A foodie will never answer the question "What are you eating" with "I don't know." There are some basic traits of being a foodie, as there are basic traits that come with all labels. Generally, you have to know what you like, why you like it, recognize why some foods are better than others and want to have good tasting food all or certainly most of the time. This doesn't mean that you can't eat flaming hot Cheetos every now and again, but it does mean that you don't fool yourself into thinking that it's a nutritionally balanced meal. Do you have to know the difference between a beefsteak tomato and an heirloom tomato? No, but you might be interested to find out what it is. Do you have to only shop at farmer's markets? No, but you still look for good, fresh produce. Are there some foods you just don't like or weird foods you like? That's ok - it doesn't make you any less of a foodie. Just like food, learn about food and, most importantly, eat food.

A foodie is not a gourmet. Although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, foodies differ from gourmets in that gourmets are epicures of refined taste who may or may not be professionals in the food industry, whereas foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news. Gourmets simply want to eat the best food, whereas foodies want to learn everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, and about the science, industry, and personalities surrounding food. For this reason, foodies are sometimes viewed as obsessively interested in all things culinary. There is also a general feeling in the culinary industry that the term gourmet is outdated.

Foodies love food, obviously, and they are usually interested in exploring a wide range of tastes, flavors, and textures. Many of them try to be as knowledgeable as possible about the foods they eat, sometimes even traveling to an area of food production to see how their food is produced. Many foodies study specific aspects of flavor and eating, like wine and food pairings, or the impact that environment has on flavor, with a focus on eating the best-tasting food possible.

Many foodies are also interested in the personalities in the food industry, such as food writers and notable chefs. They may also be intrigued by food science, learning more about how food performs in the kitchen and why certain flavors and textures appear when they do. Scientific approaches to food and cooking have led to a slew of cookbooks which explain the science behind various steps in a recipe, rather than just giving cooks a set of directions.

Foodies are often said to be in search of the best flavor, regardless of origin, and many seek out food experiences which they perceive as “authentic,” refusing to look down their noses at particular ingredients. While “foodie” often means “food snob” in the ears of some people, foodies may enjoy familiar foods like pizza and chow mein just as readily as they enjoy multi-course meals at expensive restaurants.