Subgenres of Food Writing
Which genre contains the components of being: Persuasive, evaluative, witty. Sensory detail, comparisons, ratings.
Resteraunt Reviews
"Crunch."
What is that technique called?
ONOMATOPOEIA
Why is one of the few things on your menu that can be eaten without fear or regret — a lunch-only sandwich of chopped soy-glazed pork with coleslaw and cucumbers — called a Roasted Pork Bahn Mi, when it resembles that item about as much as you resemble Emily Dickinson?
Pete wells
What genre contains elements of being reflective and nostalgic.
Memoir
"The soup burned my tongue off."
What technique was that?
Hyperbole
She made caramelized pork chops, substituting Maggi soy marinade for fish sauce, arranging it on plates filled with full-grained American rice, not the broken rice that usually accompanied it. It didn’t matter; I gorged myself. Cathay’s spacious German-American kitchen, accoutred with hanging sausages, its fridge of Western foods and condiments, was pungent with sweet curling smoke of caramelized onions and soy glaze dripping off the pan.
Mr. Phan
What genre contains elements of being: informative, immersive. There are interviews, factual context, and narrative openings.
What is a useful component that helps a reader decide if they can go to that restaurant?
Price Points
That's the chicken from last night. The
meat is so far overcooked. It's actually
coming down off the bone. They should
not be served. What is that chef doing there? What Is
that. Oh my goodness me. That is the
beginnings of a frozen Philly cheese
Steak. Honestly, that looks like dump
fruit. Look at the state of that cheese steak.
Gordon Ramsay
Identify this genre:
The first time I learned how to cook rice properly was not from my mother, but from the hiss of the pot itself. I was twelve, impatient, and convinced that food could be rushed into existence. I drowned the grains, set the flame too high, and waited for magic.
Memoir
What are some methods for comparison?
Metaphor
Analogy
Simile
I’m at the end of 12 years as a critic who ate in and reviewed restaurants constantly. Of those years, I probably spent two solid months just waiting for the check. I ought to be in favor of anything that speeds up the end of the meal, but Blackbird’s new checkless exit gives me the creeps. It is just the latest in a series of changes that have gradually and steadily stripped the human touch and the human voice out of restaurants. Each of these changes was small, but together they’ve made going out to eat much less personal. Meals are different now, and our sense of who we are is different, too.
Pete Wells
Identify this genre:
The line outside Taipei’s busiest breakfast shop forms before sunrise. Inside, soy milk steams in tall vats while scallion pancakes hiss on the griddle. Each plate—radish cake, egg crepe, fried dough stick—tastes like a ritual of comfort in a city always on the move.
Food Feature Article!
What technqiue is used to set the scene?
Imagery
At first glance, the bistro feels unassuming, but the food quickly proves otherwise. The roasted chicken arrives golden and crisp, the skin audibly crackling before giving way to tender, juicy meat. A side of charred vegetables adds a smoky sweetness, grounding the dish in simplicity done right. The pasta special, tossed in a velvety tomato-basil sauce, is bright, fresh, and balanced—comforting without being heavy. Service is attentive without hovering, and the warm, bustling atmosphere makes lingering easy. It’s the kind of place that quietly impresses, reminding you that good cooking doesn’t need extravagance, only care and confidence.
CHATGPT