av_dude t1_j6c21f5 wrote on January 29, 2023 at 6:46 AM

I think it comes from the fact that he can’t cook. There exists a stereotype in the culinary world of the guy who knows how everything is done, but can’t do it himself. I know when I’ve gone to Michelin restaurants I’ve embodied that attitude. Part of it was me playing the part of connoisseur, and part of it was the excitement I felt at the time. Part of it came from my love of food, and part of it came from watching Top Chef and the like. I don’t know how to cook but I appreciate good food when I taste it. Again, I know why the stereotype exists, and the movie is very keen to satirize it.

happyposterofham OP t1_j6c2eag wrote on January 29, 2023 at 6:50 AM

Right, but I just feel like the "everyone's a critic who can't hang when their mouth is on the line" is better targeted at the likes of the food critic? Like, it's hard to blame patrons who are ultimately kind of regular joes for being excited about what they're eating and liking food, especially if they generally try to see where the chef is coming from. And for the record I'm not denying that maybe you could put someone from the general foodie archetype in the room, but to make him specifically the worst person (bringing his date to die, etc) feels remarkably off in terms of the hierarchy of shitty people. It's almost like the writers knew that his own sin wrt the chef wasn't enough to die, so they needed to give people something else to latch onto to kill him off.

av_dude t1_j6c3apa wrote on January 29, 2023 at 7:01 AM

I hear you. I’d agree with what someone else said about how all the characters are unlikable because that’s what the movie’s about. They all take on stereotypical roles to show the point that all these people are problematic types in the restaurant industry.

[deleted] t1_j6c6k18 wrote on January 29, 2023 at 7:43 AM

Literally it's just someone the author finds annoying, the insufferable amateur foodie

Anouleth t1_j6cocmp wrote on January 29, 2023 at 11:45 AM

I mean this sound like being a dick to me. Like, I don't think that sports stars or actors sneer or look down on their fans for being unable to play professional sports or act, and if they did, that would be totally unreasonable.

av_dude t1_j6dv246 wrote on January 29, 2023 at 5:31 PM

I think you’re probably right. However, it’s the filmmakers prerogative to make a film with situations and characters we don’t like just to prove a point. There are a lot of better food films out there that celebrate the customer.