Dining and Cooking
surely I am not the only one who dislikes fun?
In Kitchen Confidential

surely I am not the only one who dislikes fun?


I mean this so sincerely, I genuinely cannot stand fun food. I do not want my food to be fun, whimsical, playful, quirky. I do not want to be "visually confused" by my food.

I just want to eat something delicious that is aesthetically appealing. I do not want any part of my meal to become some kind of performance art thing. I do not care about being "surprised," actively please do not surprise me.

If it looks like an orange and tastes like foie gras I may just fucking spit it out.

by Matsunosuperfan

31 Comments

  1. TragicWithNoEnd

    I would kill for some worms in dirt right now.

    Hit me back in the feels. Back to before the world sapped out my joy.

  2. DrinkMunch

    Honestly aesthetically pleasing isn’t even on my list. Can I identify it and taste good? It’s not sitting in a puddle of water from the sauce splitting or oil because they dumped the “juice” on it? I’m game.

  4. EnvyChef

    I dunno man, I’ve been in star restaurants and run a few. I don’t think what you mean by “fun” is categorized as fun.

    In the end fine dinning is considered art. The idea of art is making the guest feel somthing. If that is a cute little red heard with a pice of cake in it cause it’s valentines day then so be it.

    And yes you are totally justified in not wanting YOUR food to be fun but with lots of experience in my world, don’t start doing that douchey thing of defining “what food is supposed to be” those guys suck.

  5. stopsallover

    I don’t think that’s even the problem here. Fun is fine. Making foie gras look like an orange on a pile of dirt is just weird. What’s the logic? Oranges don’t grow in dirt. This needs to be served attached to an ancient bonsai tree.

  6. Coercitor

    I can appreciate it, but it’s not for me. I have nothing but respect for places like Alinea, but I have no desire to dine there.

  7. RoeMajesta

    these are only fun in the creation stage. The moment they become regulars, they are terrible chores

  10. Secret-Chapter-712

    Because I’m an unfeeling monster, i don’t even care what it looks like, if it’s foie gras I’m eating and loving it, it’s going right into my monstrous maw 

  11. DexJones

    Lol,

    I’m not wealthy enough to go to a restaurant that makes those sort of crazy gastronomic concoctions.

  12. Rand82420

    If you have to pay for food that doesn’t even look like the food that it actually is, pass!

  13. alphadavenport

    but like, when is this ever an issue? if you say “can i please get the spaghetti”, you’re never going to get starch foam with freeze dried tomatoes under a pecorino structure. You’re gonna get spaghetti. if you like this kinda stuff (i think it’s neat!) then you’re going to go to a really expensive place with a prix fixe menu, and you’re gonna know ahead of time what to expect.

    i agree it would be bad if restaurants were baiting and switching but i really don’t think that’s happening

  14. Robinson_Bob

    How often are you running into this that it’s a problem for you? In my experience the places that do this are pretty easy to spot, maybe just don’t go there?

  15. milco3

    I hate a gimmicky food. Can I successfully do this? Absolutely not. I can luckily acknowledge the craft, but the classic/traditional way for many foods is that way for a reason. 

  16. sanisan_x

    IMO, as a non cooking professional- fun desserts, Normal food pls

  17. LilArtsyCreature

    I’m ok with a certain level of “fun-ness” I guess? As long as it tastes good, isn’t exorbitantly expensive, isn’t a pain in the ass for people to make, and doesn’t become “stupid food”. Tbh I think now a days after a certain class/$$$ point the heart and soul food gets lost to please the upper-crust. Those people really love a clown show, and money talks.

  20. Janeiac1

    At first I thought this was about that Chinese tea stuffed into tangerines.

    Yeah, it’s too much.

  21. daCold_Brew45

    I think that kind of thing would be fun to experience once maybe twice but isn’t something I’d want to seek out regularly, even if I could afford it, which is the real problem with this kind of food: The Price. It’s interesting but at the end of the day would it be better than just going to a quality steakhouse….

  22. Ladychefontheloose

    💯💯💯
    🔝🔝🔝
    🎶👂🎶👂

    As personality goes am all of the above to a faulty tee. (Pisces x6) Whimsical, playful ,quirky aka awkward at best, even visually confusing at times (cue Dave Chappell hoe uniform bit ) ,, however I’m not into cannibalism of self.

    Bring me an old worldly plate from anywhere but here 🇺🇸: street market fresh , humble , loving, gracious , grandma flair. A little rustic, farmy in a simple Amish cottage core paradox, chonky, easy going , without pronouns

    swear it’s not my tinder bio 😂

    Gummy ramble

    Cheers
    🥃🍋‍🟩

  23. EyeStache

    >>I just want to eat something delicious that is aesthetically appealing.

    > complains about aesthetically appealing foods.

    Make up your mind.

  25. chefsundog

    I don’t know how chocolate soil became a main stay on dessert menus. Why would I want my food to look and have the texture of dirt?

  26. Marilyn1618

    I absolutely hate food that is made to look like dirt. I hate that it’s so overdone and I hated making it in the restaurant where I started. And I just don’t onderstand why anyone would like to eat food that looks like the stuff on the bottom of my shoes. It grosses me out.

    The rest of the fun foods I don’t know, guess it’s not in my tax bracket.

  27. Sorinchaos

    Fine dining playing with textures and flavors is one thing, what i dont need is this aggressive tableside shit where where a guy turns making my ceasar salad into an interpretive dance or they bring my meal out on a literal shovel. I want my food not a circus performance

  28. thisistherevolt

    I’m ok with stuff like ice cream concoctions that look like dinosaurs or a good 69 hidden In a charcuterie board. But yeah, no “Is it cake or is it…,” and none of what you described.

    Unless it’s Play-Doh food given to you by a child. YOU PRETEND TO EAT THAT SHIT AND YOU LIKE IT.