The article by Murat Doğan, Deputy Dean of Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (GSF), and faculty member of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, was published in "Hotel Restaurant & Hi-tech" Magazine, Turkey's Tourism, accommodation, and gastronomy magazine. In his article, Doğan talked about the topics of "Who is a gourmet and a gourmand?", "What is food criticism?" and “What does it take to be a good critic?”.
As we all know, many of us do not come across cooking competitions while watching TV. Some of us are devastated when we see the cruel and self-aware criticisms of these programs. The meaning that people give to the word criticism must be wrong.
“When we think about it a little bit, we see that the meaning of the word criticism is generally negative thoughts that aim to criticize and even denigrate, rather than a positive and useful perspective.”
However, the Turkish Language Association defines the word criticism as "the act of examining a person, a work, a subject to find and show it's right and wrong sides, criticism". Then, if we start from the perspective of the Turkish Language Association; We can say that "criticism is to reveal both the positive and negative aspects of something in a logical, qualified, understandable and impartial manner that will benefit people." Then let's add this;
“If we reveal the positive or negative aspects of a meal in a truly objective and fair manner, we will contribute to food culture and gastronomy.”
Whether it is a friend or a restaurant chef. Our environment begins to consist of people who cook well. All these things I have said cover the topics of food criticism. I think it is useful to talk about this concept a little.
Recently, in an article, Vedat Milör talked about the concept of "Gurman", which is not widely known by the public, and criticized gourmets. He is very right. In an era when everything is based on money, gurmans remain a strange thing. However, when we examine the literature, people who are food critics are gourmets. I think we need to get away from this issue a bit. Do you know what should happen? Every gourmet must also be a gourmand. I think this is the shame of non-gourmand gourmets.
Dear readers, I am trying to convey something to you without overwhelming you with too many terms and concepts. But sometimes this is inevitable. I would like to summarize the subject more briefly and succinctly. Let it come then.
“To be a food critic who can critique a dish in the best way possible...”
First and foremost, (1) they should be a good gastronome, meaning they should know about food and how it's made, and have made it at least three to five times. It's worth mentioning that some experts say this doesn't have to be the first requirement. (2) They should be a good gourmet, as I mentioned earlier. They should enjoy food and prioritize taste. However, they shouldn't jump at every dish; they should be selective. It's worth mentioning that the term "Gourmet" is derived from the French word "gourmand," which may seem a bit contradictory, but that's not very important. It's been about five hundred years since the word was coined. (3) Finally, they should be a good gourmet. As Deniz Gürsoy emphasized in his book "Yiyelim İçelim, Tarihi Bilelim, Dünden Bugüne Gastronomy," gourmets guide those around them with their evaluations. They also research food and provide educational value to society.
“In short, a food critic is someone who enjoys analyzing the taste and presentation of various dishes based on certain reference points and taste criteria, and who shares their culinary experiences with the public.”
They often evaluate whether the food is good or not, the portion size, the ambiance of the restaurant, the price of the food, and the quality of service from the staff, all with sophisticated palates and communication skills.
“Finally, I'd like to answer the question of who the first gourmet or food critic was.”
In my previous article, I mentioned Louis XIV, and this week we have Louis XVI, the husband of Marie Antoinette, who is famous for the quote many of us may remember, "Let them eat cake if they can't find bread." Yes, I believe he deserves to be called the first food critic (gourmet) on the historical stage. In my previous article, I described the magnificent and luxurious kitchen of Louis XIV. His grandson, Louis XVI, completely revamped the kitchen, which contained heavy meals. He even wanted the dishes to be made lighter and more delicious, and he assigned a chef for this purpose. Together with his chef, he became the first gourmet (food critic) to conduct modern food tastings, evaluate flavors, and encourage the development of new dishes. There's one point I mentioned earlier: Some experts say the first requirement to be a food critic is to be a good gastronome. I believe that a king so involved with food deserves the title of a gastronome as well.
Stay healthy...
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Doğan
