Every person enjoys a good meal, especially a meal that is made by one of the most talented cooks in a city or country, such as Gordon Ramsey, Bobby Flay, and Emeril Lagasse all of whom are talented chefs in their respective cuisines in the United States. However, not all people are able to enjoy such delicacies, for not everyone is able to afford such delights, make time to cook, or enjoy such a fine meal that many restaurants have to offer. Socioeconomic status obstructs middle and lower class patrons from enjoying the “finer things in life”, that high-class people, such as Paris Hilton, can enjoy without a second thought as to how much it costs. Money to spend lavishly and time to throw away are not available to those who live paycheck-to-paycheck or work 40+ hours a week, as most citizens do in the US. These citizens have to live with what they have, and therefore cannot be a true ‘foodie’. This being because of the fact that they are not able to indulge in meals that can cost more than $100 nor waste three hours at a lavish dinner table. Expensive meals, locations of high-class restaurants, and time are not readily available to the lower classes, and therefore cannot be experienced. The true essence of being a ‘foodie’ thus lies with the upper class, as these things are out of reach of the lower classes.
The greatest setback for the American people, that want to enjoy a fancy, sit-down meal at some exquisite restaurant, is the cost and time preparation of food. The reason why fast food restaurants have become so popular is because they are cheap and convenient. You go into McDonalds, pay $0.99 for a Bacon Cheeseburger and two minutes later it’s in your possession and you are on your way. This is definitely not a healthy way to live your life, but it’s much easier and more affordable for the middle and lower class than going to a sit down restaurant. Restaurants, such as The Melting Pot, are considered for dinner typically on special occasions only, such as Prom, for dinner can cost up to $100 per person and takes place around a 2.5 hour eating period. And then, there is Masa, a Japanese restaurant located in Time Warner Center, NYC. Dinner here comes at a $300-500 prix-fixe meal (meaning that you put down a certain amount of money and will be served a set menu). The dinner itself will span over a 3-hour period, in which the diners will receive an unparalleled omakase experience. However, such gourmet meals are not easily accessible to all, and instead of such costly and time consuming choices, middle-class families will typically enjoy their meals at restaurants such the Olive Garden and Red Lobster, which are typical, good chain restaurants, which lack an extraordinary reputation. A true ‘Foodie’ would enjoy meals from all possible restaurants in order to have a true gourmet experience. But, due to lack of money and the time restraint, citizens outside of the higher statues individuals cannot afford such privileges. Instead, they are focused on their jobs and family; their most important priorities.
Time restraint is not only a factor in the restaurants, but also on the home front. Working parents do not always have the time to spend hours working on a meal. Instead, they cook what is convenient at the time. On the Food Network, Alton Brown, who stars in the show “Good Eats,” spends almost a whole day cooking a Coconut Cake, because of the fact that it tastes better than an out of the box cake. Alton Brown is trying to bring back the good ol’ days, where women had plenty of time to cook for hours on end. However, that is not the case anymore, since a majority of woman work presently. By the time most of them get home they are exhausted from their workday. So, instead of shows like Mr. Browns, shows like Rachel Ray’s “Thirty Minute Meals,” are more convenient and practical. In “Thirty Minute Meals”, Rachel Ray shows all the ingredients necessary to complete her dishes and then outlays how the recipe is basically, and simply made. Then, in a thirty-minute episode she instructs step by step how to make each meal. Now, these thirty-minute meals are by no means gourmet. They are, however, for women in the middle and lower classes who don’t have enough resources, mainly sufficient funds and time, to go out for dinner every night, dropping $100 or more dollars per meal. While Alton Brown is able to create intricate meals with quality products to create something unique and delicious, his approach is not always practical and accessible to the working individual. Simply speaking, while the upper class are enjoying meals at luxurious restaurants, because they do not have a need to cook for themselves, the middle and lower class are looking to people such as Rachel Ray to help them make quick, inexpensive yet tasty meals.
Alongside Rachel Ray, Julia Child also stood up for the working woman, when she started her own cooking show “The French Chef” in 1963. Julia Child created recipes that were interesting, practical, and yet detailed. Though some of her meals were a bit expensive for the average American, such as lobster, she did make other meals affordable for the lower class. She appeals to the middle and lower class citizens with her friendly attitude and lack of pausing within her segment. She is bright and cheerful as she cooks which allows the everyday mother to try and embrace the same amount of enthusiasm as Julia Child has, and therefore bringing that extra flair of love to her cooking. Julia Child herself is the ultimate foodie, for she has the time and experience that enables her to cook recipes that prominent chef’s can make. However, she hides herself to be a typical American citizen, so she is more relatable to whoever may watch her show, and therefore establish a connection between host and audience. The average citizen may have interest in food, such as Julia Child did, and have access to her cookbooks and food memoirs, but they still lack the money and time that the upper class have. But, with the help of these cooking shows previously discussed, the middle and lower class are able to get develop their own type of food that suits their busy lives and help them to withstand the socioeconomic status that has been placed on them. The middle and lower class still appreciate good food, just not the lavish food and standards that the upper class enjoy such as foods like escargot or caviar at expensive trendy restaurants.
Ruth Reichl notices the barrier between the two classes of “foodies” in her book “Garlic and Sapphires” and addresses them promptly. As a food critic, Reichl goes to the most high quality restaurants to rate the service, food, presentation, and atmosphere of the restaurant. But, as she continued to rate these restaurants, she noticed that none of them were affordable to the middle and lower class. Reichl then began to go to Asian and other ethnic restaurants that were more affordable and not as highly recognized as the other lavish restaurants that have made names for themselves. Though they are not recognized, they still have an air of promise in their unique cuisine and varying cultures. She introduces them in her restaurant reviews, in which her readers vary greatly in their responses. The upper class citizens are aghast at the fact that these restaurants don’t have the quality and name they look for, while the middle and lower class appreciated the change in restaurants and the fact that the ‘little people’ were for once being recognized. Reichl should be titled one of the ultimate “foodies”, because she is able to afford high-class restaurants, while at the same time not being ashamed to go to chain or little known restaurants. Overall, she gets the true experience of food, and through her book she tells the world that any restaurant, whether in Chinatown or on 5th Ave in New York City, has potential to be great.
In an article by David Cox, he writes about the different types of exposure and the higher and lower socioeconomic status that diverse cultures have to different kinds of food. Those who come from rural areas, no matter their status or wealth, are not as exposed to as many types of food as those who are located in urban areas who have many more chances to diversify their taste buds. It seems that money makes all the difference when you live in an urban location, for there is a greater variety of restaurants that are available, however, wealth affects whether or not urban residents are able to attend such high-end restaurants, or if they go to Mcdonalds. Also, city students are less opposed to trying new types of food, therefore expanding their palate. Contradictory to them, rural students are much more hesitant to open their minds too different types of food. Just by living in different parts of locations affect whether or not you have a chance to be a ‘foodie.’ Therefore, those who live in urban locations are more likely to be foodies even though there is a barrier between the classes.
A foodie is a person who has a particular interest in food, which includes a broad span of people. However, in order to find a true foodie you must broaden your horizon to many different cultures and tastes. This way you can fully divulge yourself in all the types of food possible and understand the differences between gourmet and simple food. In order to experience such types of food, time and money must be in abundance. This is not easily available to the middle and lower class that try to experience different types of foods through TV shows and cookbooks, while the upper class head off to restaurants. Julia Child and Rachel Ray are there for those citizens who want to try to create something different without having to relent tons of time and money. And though the middle and lower class may appreciate good food, they cannot truly experience all that this world has to offer. Therefore, the socioeconomic status is evident in that the upper class has many more chances to expose themselves to such unique foods. The upper class is able to produce the money and time, not available to the middle and lower class and so, the ultimate foodie is possible for the upper class but difficult or impossible for the middle and lower class to achieve.
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