I've been thinking about this since I read this piece in her defense over on The Kitchn. Because yes, I've cooked a lot of her recipes, and Found Them Good. Her ribollita con verdure is maybe the favorite dish in our house, ever. Sure, her mannerisms can be a bit annoying (though I think her snuffly little chuckle is kind of cute) but her show is all about putting good, tasty food on the table every day, even when you're tired and only have 30 minutes. And what on earth is wrong with that?
Here's what I've been thinking. Food culture over the last few years has changed, so that it is both aspirational and a high status signifier.
Just like a Rolex says "I have a great deal of money", cooking (in a SWPL kind of culture anyway) has come to say: "I'm sophisticated, educated, and worldly in my taste, and yet I'm also earthy and sensual and generous. The kitchen is the warm beating heart of my home. Come. Sit. Eat. Share. Close your eyes and you might be in Tuscany, or Hong Kong, or one of the nicer parts of Louisiana."
Note that I don't think these are bad things at all. But the aspirational element is key to most of the female cooks on TV, whether it's sensual, beautiful, tragic Nigella in her elegant London kitchen, or Giada entertaining family-style on the terrace. None of that is what chirpy Rachael Ray - pudgy, proley, and entirely without pretension - is about. She's about putting food on the table - delicious, fast, easy food that anyone can make, with ingredients from any supermarket.
Here's what I've been thinking. Food culture over the last few years has changed, so that it is both aspirational and a high status signifier.
Just like a Rolex says "I have a great deal of money", cooking (in a SWPL kind of culture anyway) has come to say: "I'm sophisticated, educated, and worldly in my taste, and yet I'm also earthy and sensual and generous. The kitchen is the warm beating heart of my home. Come. Sit. Eat. Share. Close your eyes and you might be in Tuscany, or Hong Kong, or one of the nicer parts of Louisiana."
Note that I don't think these are bad things at all. But the aspirational element is key to most of the female cooks on TV, whether it's sensual, beautiful, tragic Nigella in her elegant London kitchen, or Giada entertaining family-style on the terrace. None of that is what chirpy Rachael Ray - pudgy, proley, and entirely without pretension - is about. She's about putting food on the table - delicious, fast, easy food that anyone can make, with ingredients from any supermarket.
That doesn't seem so bad to me.
2 comments:
I can't get past RR's voice, which makes me nuts. Agh! But I'm with you that food has gotten to be a major status signifier, and at least Ray is *trying* to make it easier to eat something besides a prepared meal. She's not my style, but I do think she's doing a good thing for a lot of people. I need to try some of her recipes, now that you and the Kitchn have said they work so well in such quick succession.
BTW, I would have had a lot more of a thoughtful comment if I hadn't been distracted by my wild chuckling over "Close your eyes and you might be in Tuscany, or Hong Kong, or one of the nicer parts of Louisiana."
Ha!!
I haven't a notion who she is but if my friend Ríona says she does good food then , darn it that's good enough for me.
I just watched a bit on YouTube. I think her voice is fine. Throaty beats nasally any day!
I think you should write more bits like this on Domestigeek. You funny!
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