Let's Kill "Foodie"

[Dave the Cook]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's John Kessler hates the word "foodie." In this week's column, he comes right out with it:

Apparently the word "locavore" has entered the lexicon . . . .

That means we have one too many barfatronic food neologisms in common parlance. Which should we lose? Not "barfatronic" — it doesn't specifically relate to comestibles and is far too useful.

I propose instead that we lose the heinously overused and patently annoying word "foodie."

After recounting the history of the word (most of which I didn't know), he suggests and discards alternatives: gourmet, chowhound, food freak and the like. He makes a case for "epicure," but settles uneasily on "gastro:"

. . . a word that can be uttered either in all earnestness or with an undercurrent of snark . . . .

Anyone who participates in today's overcharged, politicized, locavoracious, media-co-opted and otherwise wonderful food scene, has to take it all with a grain of salt.

Preferably pink Himalayan rock salt . . .

I'm with Kessler -- we need to lose "foodie." I'm not sure about "gastro," though. Can we come up with a better term?

[gfron1]

I am certainly not a word smith, nor an etymologist, so these may not capture the meaning fully, however, I like epicurean or food enthusiast.

The write up of Epicurius in wiki

Epicurus believed that the greatest good was to seek modest pleasures in order to attain a state of tranquility and freedom from fear (ataraxia) as well as absence of bodily pain (aponia) through knowledge of the workings of the world and the limits of our desires

Synonyms from google on "food enthusiast"

gastronome

epicure

bon vivant

gourmand

gourmet

connoisseur

I originally thought of food enthusiast b/c of the CIA's preference for the term.

So, that's my offering - do they encompass the full meaning?

[Peter the eater]

I object to a lot of things but I do not object to being called a foodie. I object to people's objection. What's the big deal?

In fact, I may change my handle to "Fu-D".

[jumanggy]

I dislike the term foodie for some reason too, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's because it's part of the title of the unappetizing cringe-a-thon that is "Foody Call."

I use "Food lover," just because it's simple, sweet, non-threatening, and at least sounds attainable. But I've no objections to the other terms proposed either

[moosnsqrl]

Count me in - I've loathed the term (foodie) since I first heard it. I would toss "veggie" into the mix, too. It's as if food writers are targeting toddlers. I expect the next phrase to be "this is the airplane and this is the hangar." If the word vegetable is just too excruciating to type or say, how about using the more industry-friendly "veg" - at least it sounds like professional shorthand instead of pre-school parlance designed to appeal to the ear of the sub-5-year-old set.

Imagine a world in which anyone's hobby or passion for something was expressed by adding "-ie" to the topic (judoie, stampie, coinie). IIIIEEEE caramba!

[Peter the eater]

Can we come up with a better term?

Sorry Dave, I didn't notice there is an actual question.

Off the top of my head, how about:

grubster

ingestronator

caloreaper

gastronob

cake-holer

gobblin

groceratrix

(all but two contain the letter g, weird)

[Priscilla]

What about Gary Larson-LOLcatsesque FUD. Fudee?

Craig Claiborne, and, I think, Nero Wolfe, preferred gourmand.

In a magazine piece reprinted in the collection Is There a Nutmeg in the House? Elizabeth David pretty well eviscerates Paul Levy and Ann Barr's celebration of the term in their Official Foodie Handbook (mentioned in the linked column), while also mentioning the "whopping gaffes" they committed to print regarding her personal biographical details before concluding they are good at "toadying to their public."

(Paul Levy just can't catch a break, or maybe never learns; his dubious recent Slate piece decrying "macho" food writing drew a typically withering response from one of its main targets, Anthony Bourdain.)

[Anna N]

Well I like the word foodie. I like it because it encompasses so many aspects of interest in food - the shopping, the growing, the eating, the cooking, the raising, the sourcing, the reading and so on and so forth AND the hint of kinky obsession - like Trekkie - so there! And I can pronounce it.

[jesteinf]

I think I don't like the term "foodie" because most of the people I know who describe themselves as such actually know very little about food (people who say things like, "oh my god, I am such a foodie").

[Priscilla]

Please: TrekkER. Not that I am personally invested, but some of my best friends & c.

Hmmm: Fooder?

[Chris Amirault]

"Foodie" hater here. I use the cumbersome but refreshingly unclever "person who likes food."

[Chris Hennes]

"Foodie" hater here. I use the cumbersome but refreshingly unclever "person who likes food."

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Same here - I go out of my way to phrase things such that I never need to describe my love of food with a single term. Why say "I am a foodie" when you can say "I love food"? I typically interpret "I am a foodie" to mean "I am now going to pretend to know something about food and will proceed to parrot something I heard on Food Network."

[jumanggy]

I use the cumbersome but refreshingly unclever "person who likes food."

Oh, who doesn't like food? (Recalls 30 Rock episode where Liz dates a guy who doesn't like food, followed a few minutes later by a joke about Canadian cuisine that I should really not repeat)

[feedmec00kies]

I feel like I personally dislike the term because it kind of has an elitist tinge to it... even when, as some suggested, people claim to be "foodies" without much real knowledge. Then again, most of those terms would probably bother me... especially the French-based ones.

I generally am opposed to "labels," though, for one's enjoyment of food or otherwise. They are a good tool to not actually have to talk to people and have a real discussion. They "pidgeon-hole" you, and I don't like those kinds of blanket statements (I guess it's the cultural anthropologist in me). Whenever I use these "labels" to describe myself, I usually do air-quotes (yeah, I'm like that ) because they just don't really mean that much really. At least I don't think so.

That said, I think food enthusiast is an OK one that I think I might use for myself in the future.

Edited January 24, 2008 by feedmec00kies (log)

[Shelby]

I like being a "foodie". Makes me feel like I'm in a secret club

Gastro just doesn't do a thing for me. In fact, it makes me think of a bathroom, more specifically, a toilet

As for ideas??

Foodmonger

Grubgrabber

Digestive Engineer

[Dave Parrott]

But I like "foodie." It's like "groupie" but you get to eat better

[Ndy]

I'm ok with the term foodie. Afterall, there could be worse things to call food enthusiasts...

[Darcie B]

I don't like foodie, either. But I really don't like gourmand or gourmet because they sound elitist. I call myself a food nut, but I am sure many people would not choose that.

Boy, that was helpful.

[JimH]

Food Advocate, Food Aficionado. I don't like labels either but they call me a big eater. I don't think I'd be comfortable being called a foodie. I enjoy good beer does that make me a beerie? I enjoy cheese am I cheesey?

[JasonTrue]

But I like "foodie." It's like "groupie" but you get to eat better 

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Funny, "groupie" is exactly the parallel word that makes me slightly unhappy about it. And also the association I draw from the word to people who are more interested in food trends than food quality... On the other hand, I'm not so fond of "gourmet" because it's overused in other ways.

I don't care all that much, especially if someone is just trying to explain me, but I'm probably more likely to use the phrase "food geek." If I want to be flowery, maybe "passionate about good food."

I'm a geek in other worlds, so it works for me.

[jackal10]

Proud to be a foodie

[judiu]

Yippie, hippie, yuppie, preppie, foodie...What's the big deal? A rose by any other name...

[Verjuice]

When I'm introducing myself to someone who isn't yet aware of my obsession, I usually just say, "I'm really into food".

I'd rather be known as a good cook than a gourmand, or whatever.

[andiesenji]

I like the term foodie, it is down to earth and inherently inclusive as well as descriptive.

What I do not like are the terms that are just too, too exclusive and dismissive of the more humble devotees of good food.

I had enough of that when I was young and had to put up with family members who looked down their noses at those of us who enjoyed the "common and homely" foods as much as the richer fare.

[moosnsqrl]

I enjoy cheese am I cheesey?

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I think that's one of those situations where, if you have to ask . . .

JK, of course. I'd rather be cheesey than a foodie any day.