‘There is no such thing as good or bad food’ Photo: Pixabay
In what ways is food a personal experience and in what ways is it a combination of quality ingredients and cooking expertise? Which do you think is more important?
Food is unique in that it invites huge debate over what is deemed ‘good’ food. While the construction of food is a combination of ingredients, quality or otherwise, the outcome or reception of the food produced depends on the personal tastes and experiences of its consumer.
No matter the quality of food, it is always subject to the varying criticism of our individual tastes and preferences. This contrast between palates is seen so clearly in the disparity between Simon and Madeleine’s experiences at The Grove. The Grove offers well crafted, fine dining food constructed expertly with quality ingredients, an obvious contrast to the likes of KFC which Simon so fondly described as “the celebration of crap.” In spite of this, Madeleine was destined to enjoy KFC more, and Simon was clearly more likely to favour dining at The Grove due to the experiences both personal and professional that have formed their eating patterns and positive food associations.
The personal experiences that form our individual palates are often dependent on those of our families and the memories we associate with certain foods. If we are not exposed to fine dining restaurants or quality ingredients, and therefore lack appreciation for the craft, it is difficult and somewhat unfair to dismiss our enjoyment of low quality food. The existence of fine dining should not undermine the simple pleasures that many feel fast or simple foods provide.
In this way the personal experience of food is more important in determining if we enjoy what we are eating and how much we identify with the value of certain foods, whether its held in the ingredients or the feelings the food provokes.
