The Rhetoric of Food

The best thing I read during this class was probably the Pete Well’s review of Guy Fieri’s restaurant. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy his sarcasm and writing style, but it also inspired me to practice that type of my writing on my own. When we talked about the article in class, I spoke about my admiration for Pete Wells’ blunt honesty, and commitment to humor. I thought this article was set apart from other reviews we read because it was raw, and entertaining. This prompted me to chose to read another one of his reviews, “Don’t May be Bars, but Don’t Tell the Chefs”, another incredibly pleasuring review to read. I enjoyed this article because of the metaphors and direct contact to the audience he used. This also lead me to brainstorm my topic for my original composition, which was inspired by Pete Wells.

When I first began this class I had a general idea of what the rhetoric of food would end up meaning to me. Of course, I knew it had to have something to do with writing. I never thought I would think so differently at the end of the course. The rhetoric of food entails way more than I could have ever imagined. The rhetoric of food is a broad field that includes every and any type of food writing. What makes it more distinctive is that food writing can be done in multiple ways: diary entries about home, a recipe, a review, or simply a menu. I learned language is extremely important in conveying your message. I think the different food cultures that are important to us are those that remind us of other times. I believe that people are able to apart of any food culture, as they please. However, most people probably identify with a food culture that has to do with where they live, or religion/ethnicity. It is extremely easy to tie food into the conversation of anything. Food and food writing has a relationship with so many aspects of life. These food cultures serve as identity markers to individuals who identify with specific types of food, similar to how they identify with different religions. Overall, this class has showed me a new way to look at writing. I will definitely take all of the lessons I learned from multiple food writers (including my classmates!) and apply them to my future pieces.