GQ food critic insults New Orleans…and our cooking!

By way of Gawker, and a friend who IM’ed the link to me (Thanks Patrick), I have learned that the GQ food critic, Alan Richman, has written an insulting review in this month’s issue. Now, it would be one thing if he were critiquing a restaurant for its food, or even the trend in New Orleans for serving variations of creole cooking (which I happen to love in every form), but Richman went a step further in his review and linked our food to the rebuilding process. He says:

“They risk becoming meaningless if restoration means transforming the city into a low-density Creole theme park where food is one component of a commemoration of the past.”

Is that what the world thinks restoration means to us? I doubt it, but apparently Richman thinks so. The discussion and progress of rebuilding doesn’t belong in a discussion about food. And since I don’t want to make this a discussion about rebuilding, I’ll stick to judging the food.

I could see where some, even a “qualified” food critic from New York, might see four different bowls of gumbo as the same, repetitive fare. But I guarantee that a New Orleanian could find something particular to savor about each one. Richman continues:

“Restaurants could be the saviors of New Orleans, providing they produce innovative rather than repetitive food.”

I would say that on our worst day, the food in New Orleans is better than most of the food anywhere else in the world. Richman seems to take issue with the over-abundance of creole style cuisine, but to that I would say it’s basic economics; give the people what they want.

I took a two-hour river cruise with my wife and in-laws a few weeks back, and as touristy as the cruise was, they served some of the best seafood gumbo I’ve ever tasted. So, Mr. Richman, when you can get amazing New York-style pizza on one of those double-decked tour buses, then we’ll talk.
P.S. Sorry so snarky, but it’s Friday, so time for a little fun. Plus, I really really love food. bk