We food bloggers are a strange bunch. We love to talk about food. We love to share pictures of food. We critique everything we eat and share our opinions with anyone who is willing to listen…some of us more elegantly than others (pardon me if I get my grammers wrong). Most of us (I believe) are big fans of chefs and truly admire their work.
Some of us just like to hear the sound of our own voices. Those folks give us fan girls/boys a bad name. The worst of us disparage chefs and restaurateurs after only visiting a restaurant once and having one dish and that’s not cool. Tell the truth but don’t be mean. This is someone’s livelihood you’re dealing with. Visit the restaurant more than once to make sure your experience isn’t an anomaly.
Review sites like Yelp make us all feel like a New York Times restaurant critic. These sites have become popular places to voice our opinions. One restaurant I know of got a 1 star rating because they didn’t serve bottomless mimosas for Sunday brunch. This was all based off of a phone call. the reviewer never actually visited the restaurant. I think that’s harsh. Chicago chef Graham Elliot received a 1 star review before his restaurant even opened.
Having worked in hotel and restaurant kitchens as well as running my own personal chef business (Have a look at my gallery of pretty dishes>> GALLERY) gives me a unique perspective on the food business. I have a TON of respect for the folks in those hot kitchens
And now for something completely different….the great TINA FEY as a midwestern food blogger. ENJOY
Sonya Morris
August 31, 2015 at 9:33 pm (9 years ago)I am not a chef but I am devastated when I cook something and it is not my best. I could not imagine dealing with harsh criticism about something I spent a great deal of time preparing!
Demetra Overton
August 31, 2015 at 9:55 pm (9 years ago)It can be tough to take criticism but I think its necessary in order to grow. I just think folks should be careful with their words and not bash a restaurant without giving it a fair chance.
Alex
August 26, 2015 at 6:01 pm (9 years ago)As a cook and a chef I greatly appreciate this short but to the point post. Thank you! I believe Marco Pierre White said it best on his announcing his retirement, “I was being judged by people who had less knowledge than me, so what was it truly worth?”
Demetra Overton
August 26, 2015 at 6:09 pm (9 years ago)Thanks so much for reading, Alex. I certainly understand how Chef White could become discouraged. Sometimes the complaints, even if they are few, can seem louder than the praise.