There is a separation taking place in the area — the separation of diners.
It’s now about choosing to settle with becoming an educated and often pretentious foodie, eating out to silently prove something to others with social and financial standing, or depriving oneself of good eating by carelessly consuming. This modern age doesn’t allow for being A and B. I refuse to simply conform to the masses. How to find the middle ground, I hope to find out.
Boston is certainly not the only US city home to this “Food Classism,” nor will it be the first to change, but could recognizing its dense population of collegians and powerful group of food aficionados be the first step in reaching the city’s maximum culinary potential?
The customary fad amongst young people today is to eat cheap without taking into account the consequences of not eating well. Perhaps the cause is that most weekend destinations of 20-somethings offer bars with little more than the bare minimum of quality food. Ideally, this would be compensated for by surrounding restaurants if they stayed open into the night, not an average pizza joint or the hot dog stand on the corner, but places like Korean Restaurant, Color or Dim Sum Bakery in Allston. How wondrous it would be to walk out of the bar at 2 a.m. and rather than have to create some makeshift meal from old leftovers and pantry fillings, have the option of getting a bowl of steaming noodles or late night tapas nearby.
It’s rare to find high end culinary havens advertised in college reading and even less common to spot undergrad at a Michelin-Rated restaurant. This definitive line does not seem to harm any in day to day life, but it does have influence on what food as a culture means. It screams extreme; although society has evolved greatly since the days of TV dinners, it turns a blind eye in other ways. There is a population whose diet largely consists of Ramen, Ellio’s Pizza, and scrambled eggs. On the contrary, a good portion of any given nationwide city is searching for the most succulent aged steaks, the earthiest truffles, and the fattiest foie gras. Is it that one must grow into such a species in order to partake in these delicacies?
This culinary gap must be filled to make room for a more united community. The resident college students, many of which remain in Boston after getting one, two, three degrees surely have had noteworthy meals back home. Moving out of comfort and into new routines could aid in lowering the standards, replacing a decent dinner with Natty Ice. This would explain why the majority of educated culinarians in America are older; quality of food is rarely on the top of any soul-searching 20 year old’s list. That is why; as children, fond memories of meals are created; as teenagers, the traditions are reminisced and missed but not continued; and as adults, new ones are reinstated.
The disconnect may not be as apparent in culinary terms as it is in other ways. There are few nightlife hot spots in which all age groups coexist in the same venue. When an exception arises, in such places as the Allston dive bars, the common ground is something limited to that of throwing darts or playing pool. Similarly, select whiskey bars downtown are inviting to those who share the interest of consuming high end scotch. This is not to say that any one lifestyle is better than the next, but rather that the choices are limited for those who wish to harmonize.
Luckily, Boston is so adventurously divine in its ways, offered are hidden gems tucked away throughout the city. It can be difficult to find a reasonably priced retail outlet for gourmet food, but there are select places in which the staff is so friendly and eager to educate, price will no longer be a major concern. Although the majority of shoppers at newly owned and operated Don Otto’s Market may have larger paychecks than the average Bostonian and the clientele at Cambridge’s Formaggio Kitchen are likely to be shopping for more indulgent dinners, the quality surpasses Star Market any day. Likewise, such places as Super 88 offer great deals on produce to neighboring BU students and imported, yet inexpensive, specialties to the diverse community of Boston with the benefit of not having to travel into Chinatown. Missing in the supermarket are the gastronomers who may not venture out to one of their locations, not knowing what they’re missing.
I ask you to take a step away from your comfort zone and ask yourself what food means to you. The simplest of questions often have the most complex answers.
I’m pretty sure that differences in diet have been a class indicator among many, if not most, peoples throughout history. Pierre Peasant wasn’t eating larks’ tongues in aspic when he took his break from plowing the king’s fields. Maybe in some cases the scarcity of resources and lack of gastronomic variety in general leveled things out, but I suspect that even Inuit back in the day knew who got the good part of the seal and who was left chewing a flipper.
You’ve observed that college-ish age kids experience a gap between the time when they fully shared the ‘rent’s resources and the time when they too can afford brunch at Mistral (or wherever mum and dad considered the top of their spending limit). On the surface that’s a age issue not a class issue. But one considers that as many as 100 million Americans now live in families that are earning less in real terms than their parents did at the same age (Fortune, “The upside of downward mobilityâ€, 29 December 2008) this line gets blurred.
Enjoyed this thoughtful and insightful column–dialectical foodism!
Ironically, the fare of the least gourmet types of 100 years ago–are the highbrow foods of today–simple breads and
organic soups and grassfed beef was being eaten by the poor while the rich were turning to
the more exotic and rare… snobs will always be snobs, and they come in all ages, and their priority is to perceive themselves as special, and one can not be special without being in relation to someone who is not special,
and you bet it’s classism! Not all lovers of food or foodies are snobs, and that’s what I love about the uniquely fresh perspective of this blog; there is a sincere passion for not only enjoying good food but wishing for all to share this simple enjoyment.
I enjoyed this analysis of eating styles by my good and esteemed friend Hailey Pierson. But I must admit that after many years of gourmet and gastronomic delights in various cuisines I do not know which ones used healthful ingredients, only that they were delicious.
But I do agree that there is a distinct difference between what kids eat and the meals served in excellent restaurants.
I think one problem has always been that the good restaurants don’t think about providing fare at reasonable prices: a kind of dollar menu mentality is required. Many kids would pay more for something delicious. For example a slice made with real cheese( instead of cheese product) and ripe tomato plus savory fresh herbs, etc. could be sold for 3 dollars. But they don’t go there.
Down with classism among the foodies. Up with taste among the young riff raff like me when I was a student.
Your friend, Doug Ruhe
Really provocative piece. Thank you, Hailey. From the opening “Separation of diners” to the closing question challenging us to really think what role food plays in our lives, the article opens new perspectives on what we’re actually doing when we sit down to, well, eat. Beyond economic separations, I think her most profound insight is generational. We start, some of us anyhow, with memories of traditional family dinners, then move on to the grab and go of high school and college. The combination of means and a greater appreciation of food quality brings us around to locally produced, organic foods (when possible) whether eaten at home or out at a favorite restaurant. Our eating habits don’t exist in isolation. They desribe the trajectory of our lives and circumstances.
Zhenya Senyak
You are right about food class-ism. People will find ways to separate themselves from the unwashed masses any way they can, even if it means daring to eat questionable fare and calling it gourmet. the upside is that this type of class-ism leads to a greater variety of gastronomical fare.
Most college-age kids, however, to be fair, are not thinking about pleasing their palate so much as drowning it in inexpensive beer. They seem to be able to hold out for major holidays and the prospect of good meals with their folks at Christmas or Thanksgiving, while remaining satisfied with Ramen and macaroni and cheese in the interim.
Very interesting column, because not only does it make you realize what most people give up in terms of food during their college years, but also the steps they are willing to take to get back to good food when they are ready financially and gastronomically.
Cheers!
You bring up an interesting phenomenon here- one that is probably given very little thought to by most of us. As Dakota agreed, some people need to see themselves as “special”, and dining is a powerful way for them to do so. Like having a purse that is clearly unattractive but boasts a giant, expensive designer logo, the elitists use food as a means of separating themselves into their own sector of society. Of course lacking financial resources, college aged people like you (and myself as well), even with incredibly advanced and appreciative palates, do not have access to the expensive treats. It’s important to know about the healthier, tastier, and more moral foods available for those of us who DO prioritize food but cannot afford the fanciness that comes with what is thought of as better. I wouldn’t partake in a fancy dining lifestyle even if I could afford it. The way you are doted upon in the high end restaurants really speaks to the population that these places are intended for; it builds on the image of importance.
Why is it about image? We just want good food!
Great article, Hailey
Great thought-provoking article from someone who has remained impressively unpretentious despite her advanced culinary tastes.. introducing her aunt to the world of cheesemongers and interspecific varieties.
Being a student of early childhood education, I am learning how a holistic approach to quality childcare has to take into consideration culture- and it’s hard to imagine separating food from culture. Even the haughty Zagat-rated restaurants know this, and capitalize on it for their poorer clientele. I worked at a restaurant in Kingston, NY where we would have wine meetings every Friday. The owner wanted to make sure that we offered a bottle of wine to each diner, even the ones that were obviously on a budget. He suggested we counter their opposition by offering it to them at their comfort level- ‘Can I bring you folks a jug of wine?’ Larry wasn’t much of a humanitarian, but I do think there is a lot to be said for speaking to people in their own language.
I’m one that tends to believe that the main element that steers the young away from restaurant food is the atmosphere and not the price. If restaurants could just lighten up and remember that people are sociable creatures and like to eat together, in enjoyable and friendly surroundings. Many of the restaurants that I see failing are steeped in self importance and missing the trick of community eating.