11 January 2010

Food For Thought

The start of a new decade is a time for contemplation. Foodies have not been served well in the past ten years, IMHO. Around the beginning of this century we had a bright and burgeoning food scene with a terrific choice of foods, a real future in artisan production and some superb restaurants where individual chefs displayed unique skills and put together original clever food that they could stamp with their own individuality.

So what has gone wrong? We continue to have great food available, farmer’s markets have really taken off so enlightened cooks can shop locally each week and as New Zealanders we are exporting fine fare around the globe. But something is missing. We have a nation of people where many are seriously overweight and sick from bad diets, we don’t sit around the table enjoying fresh food and company on a regular basis anymore and too many of us buy all our food from a supermarket system of one stop shopping. (If we must do this at least we should try to favour the chain with local ownership and a real sense of community, where the profits stay firmly in New Zealand.) After all we’ve been through the decade where Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, Barbara Kingsolver and many more awakened us to the inherent dangers of much of our food supply chain.

First and foremost I blame the food writers. Too many, both here and overseas, have convinced us that we have no time to cook any more, that we can put a meal on the table in about 5-10 minutes by merely ‘assembling’ ingredients and that our store cupboard should be filled with tins, frozen packets and pre-cooked foods. They produce endless recipes that seem remarkably similar and have forgotten about the joy of simple food, carefully chosen, beautifully cooked and lovingly served. Everyone can find time to cook properly, as it is a matter of organisation and prioritising time.

Secondly, I blame the rise and rise of food on television. Not the wonderful food programmes where passionate cooks like Rick Stein, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and the amazing team at Market Kitchen in the Borough Market in London’s East End inspire us. But think about all those hideously competitive cooking programmes like Iron Chef, Master Chef, Hells’ Kitchen, Chopping Block, Ready Steady Cook and other ridiculous reality shows where cooks are reduced to tears and cooking is viewed as passive entertainment so people dial up pizzas while they watch. Food as competition does not inspire people to cook, just to watch criticise, and often cringe.

Thirdly the rise of molecular gastronomy or in its new guise, techno-emotional cooking. Chefs have moved away from glorious simple delicious food that is not mucked about and seem to emulate Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal or Grant Achatz. Those guys are experts, know what they’re doing and have refined their techniques over many years. A young chef should not read the latest book and instantly become an expert, unleashing experimental food on the paying public. Bring back beautiful fresh food that’s not mucked around with.

There are many more reasons for concern, and also many good things to celebrate. But all is not lost. We do have some superb practitioners in our restaurants, we have many intelligent and thoughtful food writers and we can take inspiration from the world’s best real cooks on our screens. And good food is there for the taking (or buying is probably a better word.) So let’s make this the decade where we actively all think carefully about what we eat, who we support, and ensure we celebrate great food, cooked with love that can be enjoyed around the table with appreciative and thoughtful friends and family.