I didn’t make a resolution for 2025. Instead, I came into the new year with a wish. Now, before I tell you the wish, I will acknowledge that say wish is the very definition of a “first-world problem” (btw: does anyone else
For the last four years, I’ve spent the majority of my online time, consuming and creating food content. Because of my dedication to this one content area, I’ve started to recognize some patterns. And while I’ll save the full list for a future book or something, one of the things I have both witnessed and been on the blunt-end of a time or two, is hurt feelings around food-based opinions.
I want to be clear—I’m not talking about simple disagreements like whether you like putting sugar in your grits or if you prefer pumpkin pie over sweet potato pie. I’m talking about people seemingly willing to throw hands over these preferences. Especially if there is a discussion on how something should be cooked, what real Black folks eat/don’t eat, or perceived disrespect over cherished food item. And don’t get me started on the protected class-status that certain food influencers have. Any words about them that aren’t 100% positive, is interpreted as a being a “hater
Among the Black American massive, outside of being forced to attend an office potluck, ridiculed for not knowing how to play Spades, or having our overall level of “Blackness” challenged, there are very few offenses worse than being labeled a “hater”. Especially if that accusation is being levied online for the entire world to see! Because of our collective aversion to being called the H-word, in my opinion, we have developed a Black foodie community comprised of individuals unwilling to be critical of products or services rendered by anyone Black. And my argument is that this is NOT a good thing!
There are many unintended consequences of our unwillingness (or inability) to allow thoughtful criticism to play a part in our conversations around Black food. One of the biggest is that its made it easy for those willing to peddle in a particular brand of mean-spirited, “keep it real” content, to become legitimately influential. To be fair, all popular food reviewers are not dickheads. In fact, I’d say that the majority of Black people making food content are kind. However, studies show—like this one by the University of Cambridge Judge Business School—that we are more likely to share news articles that are negative versus those that are considered positive. 1.91 times more likely, to be exact. And for influencers willing to tap into our subconscious cravings to sip the digital tea, it can lead to a profitable existence.
Another side-effect? As I mentioned before: unqualified folks gaining unearned immunity for their food reviews. Again, even if the influencer in question is NOT shit-posting other businesses, the level of protection they receive is 1) mind boggling and 2) not helpful in terms of growing the art form. We have higher expectations for rappers and professional athletes than do some of these food reviewers. For the life of me, I don’t see how that’s fair. More importantly, why is that the case? We offer unsolicited, and sometimes salacious, critiques for people who can do things we could never do. But if someone with a Samsung decides eat sushi in the car and share it with the world, I’m supposed to let them cook, proverbially? Aight.
So in 2025, I’m preparing myself to be called a hater. Not because I have actual hate in my heart but because I am going to create the change I’d like to see within the Black food enthusiast space. I already know that in my doing so, somebody is gonna crown me King Hater Supreme. And you know what? That’s fine by me.
Because there should be room to discuss a restaurant’s decor, customer service, branding, marketing, social media, merchandising, or business practices without there being an automatic assumption that the critic wants the offending business to fail. We should be able to make food takes, like the one Christopher Stewart made about exposing kids to the entire menu and not just the kids section, without being called outside of our names. And we should be able to have critiques for people who make a living critiquing the food of other people, without being told that one is trying to “take a Black man down”. And yes, I’m talking about Keith Lee. But it’s not just him. Plenty of food reviewers seem to be “off limits”, with the ultimate irony being that this type of white-glove, top-flight protection seems to apply to BLACK MEN only, but that’s a conversation for another day.
I want us to have these nuanced conversations because constructive criticism helps all parties by building trust through a shared accountability. I live in the “Great State of Charleston” which, in my lifetime, has gone from a sleepy coastal town to one of the most respected food cities in the country. Some of our bonafides include: THREE James Beard Award-winning food writers (Hanna Raskin, Jamaal Lemon, and me), TWO major food festivals (Charleston Wine + Food and the Food & Wine Charleston Classic), a plethora of James Beard Award-winning restaurants, and more food-related press than a city of our size should probably receive. But it happens because if your restaurant is ass, people will let you know. People come to Charleston to eat, so restaurants are busying trying to one-up each other in their race for attention and tourism dollars.
“Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate!”
So imagine my surprise at being tagged in a graphic nominating me as “Player Hater of the Year”!
According to Dammit Wesley, who is partly responsible for putting this event together, they are defining “Player Hater of the Year” as someone who has shown outstanding work in cultural commentary or social media. I certainly qualify to be nominated but I’ll find out on Sunday, February 23rd if the judges feel as if I should win! I don’t know if these awards are limited to people in North and South Carolina but I sincerely appreciate being listed among these talented individuals.
There seem to be a few tickets left so if you want to get down, visit their ticketing site and get yours today! Other categories include:
- Player Of The Year
- Most Valuable Player
- Captain Save Em
- Fashion Vangaurd
