Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain OR Paula Deen. I find the former to be a bit stuck-up and arrogant, and while the latter doesn't top my hit list, I'd probably (and do) keep flipping channels if her show was on TV. I guess I have some of the same feelings as Frank Bruni, insomuch as I don't necessarily serve as president of the Paula Deen fan club, but I know that Anthony Bourdain was out of line to call her out like a bratty third grader.
There's a bigger problem in Bruni's editorial that I want to focus on/address/respond to: the fact that Deen's popularity somewhat stems from the fact that she's the poster gal for "downscale cooking," which appeals to mass audiences because of their strained wallets.
This is a valid claim that I've seen/read reiterated multiple times this quarter: Unhealthy food is cheaper than healthy food, and because a lot of Americans are pressed for cash nowadays McDonald's, other fast-food chains and Deen's penny-saving, butter-loving concoctions make it thatmucheasier to prepare dinner.
I'm not saying that Paula Deen is an avid supporter of the Big Mac or is encouraging America's fast-food obsession. I agree with Bruni when he says that Anthony Bourdain was out of line in attacking Paula Deen. Maybe the food she advocates isn't the holiest of all healthy foods, but blaming her for obesity or whatever other food-related ailments America now has isn't going to do anyone any good.
Which brings us back to the cheap bad food conundrum. Healthy, organic, or Anthony Bourdain-supported food is likely too expensive for the average American household. In Food, Inc., a family of four has to struggle with being unable to afford pricey vegetables AND medication for the father's diabetes. The mother admits that she knows the food she's feeding her daughters isn't top quality, but it's better than not being able to feed them at all. Would Anthony Bourdain and other food snobs rather people starve than cave in and buy a Big Mac for their kids? It's the lesser of two evils in that case, and I think Paula Deen just wants to help audiences explore their cheap food options -- things that span outside the fast-food chain circle.
An earlier blog post asked us what made fast-food so American, and I replied that its convenience and better-than-nothing mentality made chain restaurants appealing to people, and I think that resonates here. Not everyone can afford fancy pricey dinners in glamorous far away lands, Mr. Bourdain.
On a semi-related note, Michael Pollan also addresses the not-quite convenience of healthy, organic food in a portion of The Omnivore's Dilemma. He examines the phenomenon of the "Supermarket Pastoral" and investigates whether or not organic farms/foods are actually better (a.k.a. worth the extra time, effort and moolah). In the final chapter of the organic foods section, he does admit that the organic chicken is pretty darn tasty. Yet, at the same time, there are other sections of the book -- such as when he visits a farm and sees that the chickens there are only barely treated better than at normal farms -- that seem to hint at "organic" food not quite being all that much better. Sure, it is definitely better with the nutritional aspect of things, but is it worth coughing up all the extra money? Should Americans splurge on healthy expensive meals or make do with the cheap, enh-good-enough food that's so much more accessible?
Both examples exemplify the fact that "good" food is just too expensive and inaccessible for many typical families. This also applies to the grandeur gourmet meals Anthony Bourdain often features. He's a fun guy to watch and audiences will forever be captivated by shows about traveling, but his expectations for the average American's food consumption is too high.
As Bruni says, sure, we're a fat country. But blaming that on the likes of Paula Deen and homestyle cookin' isn't going to make anything better; it'll only start unnecessary food fights. Anthony Bourdain and other powerful foodies need to band together to inform America about healthy eating -- and help make that movement something everyone can afford. ---
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