Has anyone ever criticised your food?

blue_blue

Outside of immediate family members, have you ever been at the end of some harsh remarks?

Or have you ever criticised someone else's food?

squonk

I was expecting an '.....and lived' in the body of this thread

My mother will sometimes drop a bit of criticism but it goes both ways so I'm cool with it. It's usually constructive.

fussyonion

No never and I would be hurt if they did.
I can't imagine someone's mother criticising their son/daughter over their food.
How cruel.

Gloomtastic!

Outside of immediate family - no.

Immediate family, virtually every meal - too hot, too cold, too spicy, too many vegetables, sausage skins are too thick!! Since MasterChef is family viewing in this house, they're all little f@cking critics! Exceptions are Sunday roasts and Friday night junk food specials.

Dizzyblonde

Nobody would dare

I'd never criticise anyone's cooking. If someone goes to the trouble of cooking for me, I appreciate their efforts.

Tree

I think it depends.

I've had people criticise my baking/food. The cakes are too buttery and bad for you (ehhhh, that's how they're meant to be). The mash is too salty (truth, that seasoning was a terrible idea). The bread's a bit crumbly. People don't tend to be harsh though, it's often constructive, and I haven't had anyone verbally destroy what I've made.

Likewise, I've offered critical suggestions to others, whether it's seen as criticism or suggestions is up to the person. Some people ask for a critique, if they know you like to bake/eat/talk about food, so I tend to offer honesty in return for things to eat.

(Also, FYI everyone: put walnuts in your coffee cake!!!)

Mr Magnolia

Criticize, no. Critique, certainly. My wife and I would regularly highlight things that would benefit a dish next time round or if a dish just doesn't work. Why wouldn't you once it's done with a little empathy in the right environment. I want to get the most out of what I eat when I can. Life's too short.

While saying the above, there's no way I would critique a friends cooking unless specifically asked to do so. Even then, I would be hugely sensitive and maybe not even truthful, it would depend on who it was and what the relationship is like.

the beer revolu

I'm savagely critical of my own dishes!
My dad has no problem saying if he doesn't like something and unless he's made it, there's lots he won't like!
Mrs Beer and I will gently critique each other's meals.

I remember one time in a situation working with a professional chef. She made a suet pie with chicken in it. She was very keen for me to taste it as she knew I was really into food. I loved the suet crust (first time tasting it) and the filling was well made, seasoned etc. but I had to say that it just wasn't for me as I really don't like tarragon and there was lots in it.

She took serious offence because I don't like tarragon!
I decided she was a very difficult, needy person who I don't want to be around!

What I said wasn't even criticism but I do think that as a professional, you need to be able to take criticism.

LaChatteGitane

Twice !
Once when I made tomato and basil ice cream as a starter for christmas dinner and no one but me thought it was a success.

The other time that sticks in my mind was a friend with his new (second) wife when they stayed with us for their holidays. She was overheard saying that the food was inedible. :eek:
I have to chuckle at it now, because after all these years we've come to the conclusion she is a right philistine and can't cook a decent meal if her life depended on it. She didn't get another chance to make sly remarks as I never cooked for them again.

IvyTheTerrible

Not to my face!
Same as Mr Magnolia, I get critiqued more than criticised. I'm always open to improve my cooking, I'm not a masterchef!
I think there is a way to go about criticising, some people are very abrasive about it and it can be upsetting. Like life, don't be a dick!

Sapphire

Nope. And if I served one to someone and they moaned, it would be a long time before I cooked for them again. I try out a recipe every month or so and ask Mr. Sapphire if its a keeper or not, or we'll discuss how to adapt the recipe the next time around but other than that, no.

Someone I know put her foot down as a newly wed way back in the sixties - her new husband and his brother who lived with them were fussing around her cooking when she was cooking cabbage - telling her to add more water, drain some water, add more salt, turning the heat up and down on her so she got fed up and fcuked the cabbage, pot and all, out the back door in a rage and told them that they could cook if they were such experts. They never interfered in the kitchen or commented on any dinner dished up to them ever again except for "thank you, that was lovely"

Gloomtastic!

Sapphire wrote: »

Nope. And if I served one to someone and they moaned, it would be a long time before I cooked for them again. I try out a recipe every month or so and ask Mr. Sapphire if its a keeper or not, or we'll discuss how to adapt the recipe the next time around but other than that, no.

Someone I know put her foot down as a newly wed way back in the sixties - her new husband and his brother who lived with them were fussing around her cooking when she was cooking cabbage - telling her to add more water, drain some water, add more salt, turning the heat up and down on her so she got fed up and fcuked the cabbage, pot and all, out the back door in a rage and told them that they could cook if they were such experts. They never interfered in the kitchen or commented on any dinner dished up to them ever again except for "thank you, that was lovely"

I've thought of doing that, many, many times!!! :rolleyes:

messy tessy

Absolutely not! If I have gone to the effort of cooking / baking for family, they are very appreciative. I have however made stuff for work, and one guy said "I actually don't like that" while I sat there glaring at him.

Equally would not dream of (negatively) commenting on another person's cooking.

The cabbage story is excellent!!!

Dubl07

One guy whinged about garlic in my pasta sauce, pate etc although everyone else was enjoying their meals. Turned out his mistress didn't like it.

Tree

It can be difficult to tell someone you don't like their food, as convention says you Must Be Grateful to be cooked for (even if you never asked to be cooked for or for someone to have gone out of their way).

My partner is vegetarian AND fussy, and doesn't like to be cooked for, people try too hard and he's expected to be grateful even though he doesnt like what's been made. So he eats it with a sullen face and asks me "why didnt we just get food before coming here and whoops arrive too late to eat?". Even when you warn your friends that he won't want to eat what they're planning to make, or that he probably won't come if it's a food orientated event, they get offended, "but he Has To Love what *I* make". Eh, no. and they haven't even *made* the food at this point.

And yes, i'll warn people that he's fussy and that he won't eat this or that or that he might not come, and, in fairness, most people are grand with it. It mostly prevents sullen/sour faces at undercooked mushrooms, mostly.

Gloomtastic!

Tree wrote: »

It can be difficult to tell someone you don't like their food, as convention says you Must Be Grateful to be cooked for (even if you never asked to be cooked for or for someone to have gone out of their way).

My partner is vegetarian AND fussy, and doesn't like to be cooked for, people try too hard and he's expected to be grateful even though he doesnt like what's been made. So he eats it with a sullen face and asks me "why didnt we just get food before coming here and whoops arrive too late to eat?". Even when you warn your friends that he won't want to eat what they're planning to make, or that he probably won't come if it's a food orientated event, they get offended, "but he Has To Love what *I* make". Eh, no. and they haven't even *made* the food at this point.

And yes, i'll warn people that he's fussy and that he won't eat this or that or that he might not come, and, in fairness, most people are grand with it. It mostly prevents sullen/sour faces at undercooked mushrooms, mostly.

Sorry, but your partner sounds like a spoilt brat! :rolleyes:

Tree

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Sorry, but your partner sounds like a spoilt brat! :rolleyes:

Why so? Because it's everyone's right to cook for him and expect him to like it? You'll also notice that he'd prefer not to put anyone out and sort his own food out instead.

Dizzyblonde

In my opinion, if I'm eating food that I love most of the time then having the odd meal I'm not crazy about for the sake of being sociable isn't too much of a chore.

Joanna Lumley is a vegetarian and I saw an interview she did once on the subject of food. She said that if she's at a dinner party and the host/hostess has forgotten she's vegetarion and gives her meat, she'll say nothing and eat it rather than offend them when they've gone to the trouble of cooking a nice meal for her.

mahoganygas

I have the opposite problem.

I make an experimental dish for my OH almost daily. I ask for feedback or what she would like different - more seasoning, less heat, a different herb etc.

But everything is always "perfect". I know she doesn't want to offer any criticism to spare my feelings. But I really really could do with a second opinion on things.

Instead I have to be a mind reader, and keep a close eye on which veg are left behind on a plate, then adjust my dishes accordingly. It's bloody hard!

Dial Hard

Tree wrote: »

Why so? Because it's everyone's right to cook for him and expect him to like it? You'll also notice that he'd prefer not to put anyone out and sort his own food out instead.

I don't think the "eats it with a sullen face" comment painted him in the best light!

Tree

Dial Hard wrote: »

I don't think the "eats it with a sullen face" comment painted him in the best light!

He has "mildly-sullen" resting face

But he is expected (by society) to enjoy what was made for him w/o him asking for it (or even liking it).

squonk

Tree wrote: »

He has "mildly-sullen" resting face

But he is expected (by society) to enjoy what was made for him w/o him asking for it (or even liking it).

"Expected by society".... frankly that sounds bizarre. No one is forcing food into him. You can politely decline something that is offered. I know sometimes in Ireland there is a bit of an 'ah go on, go on' phenomenon. In those cases it's polite to at least try what you're given. When I'm offered something now, be it dinner, or cake, I'm chuffed that someone is thinking enough of me to feed me! It won't be prefect everytime of course but it's the thought that counts. With the greatest of respect, your boyfriend sounds like he needs to get over himself a bit.

Story Bud?

squonk wrote: »

With the greatest of respect, your boyfriend sounds like he needs to get over himself a bit.

Why do people use the phrase "with the greatest of respect" to try and make an insult sound better. It doesn't, at all.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Tree

squonk wrote: »

"Expected by society".... frankly that sounds bizarre. No one is forcing food into him. You can politely decline something that is offered. I know sometimes in Ireland there is a bit of an 'ah go on, go on' phenomenon. In those cases it's polite to at least try what you're given. When I'm offered something now, be it dinner, or cake, I'm chuffed that someone is thinking enough of me to feed me! It won't be prefect everytime of course but it's the thought that counts. With the greatest of respect, your boyfriend sounds like he needs to get over himself a bit.

"...It's polite to at least try what you're given... "

Hello "society expects you to do things you don't want to because someone else has taken it upon themselves to cook and demand grattitude".

SB_Part2

Yep. I bake quite a lot and bring it into my work colleagues. I appreciate constructive criticism eg. "I preferred the last thing" or "I don't like pecans so it's not to my taste" but there's one person who just criticizes everything and tells me about nicer things they've baked or nicer things they've had.

So I've stopped offering them some.

Elliott S

I encourage my fiancé to critique any new recipes I try. I don't want him saying nothing or complimenting it and then having to continue eating it because he said nothing! So I'm all ears about what to improve or if he felt something went wrong.

It's been like this since I made an absolutely mank chicken curry a few years ago. This wasn't a new recipe but I hadn't made chicken curry in a few years. The sauce was watery and utterly flavourless, the chicken breast was overcooked and stringy. He brought some in for lunch on the Monday whilst I had something else for lunch that day. He also had it for Tuesday's lunch, as did I. I couldn't finish it, it was so bad. At home later, I had a good ol' rant about my terrible chicken curry and he went "Phew. I didn't want to say anything but yes, it was awful". I hated the thought of him eating something and not enjoying it and having to keep it because I don't realise how bad it is. So from then on, I asked him to be totally honest with me about my cooking.

I think I'm usually pretty good at cooking but I am always open to criticism of things I try because I want to be the best I can be when it comes to my cooking. I want to improve and am happy to take the criticisms that go with that!

The Hill Billy

Mrs Billy asked me to critique her food once when she made a spag bol. I told her that it was very nice, but carrots had no place in a Bolognese sauce.

Roll forward 15-odd years - there are still carrots in her spag bol. I still eat it.

beertons

My sister would always say something about something I cooked over the years. So I stopped inviting her over at meal times. Funny thing is, we were never in her house for dinner.

Tree

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Mrs Billy asked me to critique her food once when she made a spag bol. I told her that it was very nice, but carrots had no place in a Bolognese sauce.

Roll forward 15-odd years - there are still carrots in her spag bol. I still eat it.

Fair play to Mrs. Billy for keeping up the good fight. Carrots bring a wonderful sweetness to bolognaise, and also fibre.

Gloomtastic!

Yeah, let's critique our better halve's cooking (don't you just love anonymity!)

Mrs G! Is a great cook and a master baker. However, she never washes the vegatables/salads beforehand and is useless at putting recycling items in the correct bin so she is not welcome in my kitchen much!!! :rolleyes:

Elliott S

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Mrs Billy asked me to critique her food once when she made a spag bol. I told her that it was very nice, but carrots had no place in a Bolognese sauce.

Roll forward 15-odd years - there are still carrots in her spag bol. I still eat it.

I thought spag bol always traditionally involved a soffritto? I always sweat onions, celery and carrots for it anyway and most recipes seem include all three.

MissFlitworth

Gentle critques from him indoors, "I would have put salt in that" (Me, internally: GOOD JESUS THERE WAS A LOT OF SALT AND ALSO A STOCK POT IN THAT, HOW MUCH SALT ARE YOU PUTTING IN OUR FOOD?!?!?!) or "That was nice but I would have put less [x] in it". Normally when it's a herb that he doesn't love. I dunno how I'd deal with actual criticism. Tears and a drama llama vow never to cook again, I think. He's gotten it from both, waffling, polite, barrels from me w/regard to some of his native delicacies. 'Oh, that's delicious, mmmm, just a little soft for me I think, especially with the white sauce and mash. Yummy though! Just too soft..' (tinned fish balls) so I can't get too annoyed with criticism coming my way.

My family don't criticise food made for them. They just eat a tiny portion and are very, very enthused about what an 'unusual dish it is, so unusual' and I know from that not to make it again

Malari

I love when my husband critiques my cooking. He always says there's only one dish I cooked that he didn't like, as it wasn't to his taste, but I'll always ask what he thinks. He's never overly complimentary unless he really likes something, so I appreciate his honesty!

There was the time when he took a mouthful of a sauce on something, which he expected to be more like hollandaise, but was actually homemade aioli and he exclaimed "urgh, that's horrible! :mad:"

:pac: Luckily I'm not easily offended

5rtytry56

yes, when in fee - paying secondary school, for eating rashers as a main diet (out of it 20 years+ now don't go to re-unions etc)
no did'nt change my eating habits.

i criticized a so called 'mature student' for excess diet of chocolate and candy, in college in third year, utterly disgusting. did'nt change phase him a bit. He also missed a lot of lectures due to this treatment of himself.
Had to tolerate him at a graduation ceremony - I did not want to go - saw him once more 3 years later in Dublin and never again since. I don't bother googling him.

CJhaughey

I have a thick skin, I cooked commercially so can take most anything people will give feedback on.
That said, I am my own harshest critic.
I'd much prefer people to give me feedback than suffer in silence eating something which they don't like.
Most of our circle of friends are pretty good cooks though and its rare to encounter something I don't like eating especially when I am hungry.
If you make a variety of dishes it helps, if its just one and a person doesn't like it it doesn't give them many options apart from dessert.