Dissecting the Foodie Movement

Like most people, I enjoy a delicious meal as well as visiting many of the newest, exciting restaurants in Atlanta as well as other cities that I travel to from time to time. I would not say that I am a "foodie", but I know what I like and enjoy trying new foods. Over the last few months, I have become more and more concerned about a trend that I have noticed within the "foodie" culture - exclusivity. All over the country, secret supper clubs have popped up, where patrons convene to sample amazing cuisine, sometimes provided by local celebrity chefs. Unfortunately, many of these supper clubs resemble a restricted country club, where no diversity is present at all.  I've seen photos or websites for some of these supper clubs, and the lack of diversity has always been something that stands out for me. Even on some of TV's hottest reality cooking shows, segments with supper clubs have been surprisingly homogeneous.

Often times, the lack of diversity in the members' social circles contribute to this trend. Admittance into these supper clubs or even knowledge of them is by word of mouth or at the invitation of a current member. I have wondered if members of these clubs ever pause to consider that their organizations have no African American or Latino diners? Do they ever notice? Or do they even care? Do they believe that the enjoyment of good food is only for "their kind" of people?

Another trend that concerns me is the recent embrace of the "snout to tail" meal experience. Across the country, many high-end restaurants and supper clubs have featured the cooking of every part of the animal - tripe stew, kidneys, hearts, livers, you name it. I've read restaurant reviews where critics annoyingly sing the praises of dining establishments that feature these foods. For once, I would like to hear someone say "Wait just a minute. This is nothing new." European immigrants and African American slaves had this food for generations when it was the only parts of the animal that they were either given or could afford. It amazes me that a type of cooking that's been around for hundreds of years suddenly becomes the hottest trend when well-to-do foodies discover it and refuse to publicly acknowledge the roots and history of this type of dining.

Enjoying a fresh, healthy meal should not only be available to a certain rung on the economic ladder or to a certain race. I think back to the type of fatty, sodium-loaded, and unhealthy food that is sometimes the only items available in businesses masquerading as grocery stores in many of our most impoverished neighborhoods. How about opening up these secret supper clubs to those that really need to be introduced the value of healthy, organic foods or fine dining?  If not, we could face an era where the enjoyment of healthy, good food and new cooking techniques are only for the well connected and the privileged.

For an article on underground supper clubs, check out the below article from CNN.com.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/03/04/underground.supper.clubs/index.html

How Do We Honor the Dream?

Today is the national holiday where we celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Across the country, many participated in community service projects, parades, or programs honoring Dr. King's memory. Around this time every year, there seems to be a series of panel discussions and symposiums on whether Dr. King's dream of the "beloved community" has finally been realized. Experts, community leaders, politicians, and scholars will sit on panels and talk about how far we have come and how much work remains to be done. Speeches will be made. Talking points will be quoted. Audiences will applaud. Etc, etc, etc, etc.

Over the years, I have grown tired of the panel discussions on whether race relations have improved. And I am speaking as someone who has served on panels discussing this very topic in the past! The time for talking and paying lip service to the dream of equality, improved race relations, and erradicating bigotry is over. It is time for action! During the 1950s and 1960s, it is action that helped topple the oppressive condition of segregation. It was action that opened up the voting booth to African Americans, and it was action that opened up corporate America to non-White men.

When someone tells an offense joke, do you let it slide or do you tell them that such comments will not be tolerated? When you witness someone perpetuating discriminatory policies in the workplace, do you report them? When someone chooses to use racial, gender, or homophobic slurs, do you stop them and let them know that such language is offensive? Have you broadened your social circle to include people that do not look like you? Are you making an effort to understand other cultures?

The best way that all of us can honor Dr. King's memory is through action and not being silent when we witness injustice. On this King Day, I am going to take a look in the mirror and ask myself what actions I can take to make Dr. King's dream move closer toward reality. In the words of Dr. King, "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent."


Happy Martin Luther King, Jr Day!