To think it’s NOT racist to not like food from another culture?

[GimmeeCaffeine]

Hi all. Just wanting to get some opinions on this!

On a Facebook group where people rate each other’s food, someone recently posted a picture of some Indian food their Indian friend had cooked. Someone commented ‘Yuk’. Another person then accused this commenter of being racist because they said the food looked disgusting.

Whilst I disagree with the commenter (I thought it looked nice!) I don’t necessarily think it’s racist to think a certain dish from another culture looks/is disgusting. I mean, I don’t like sushi but I’m certainly not racist against the Japanese.

Am I wrong here?

@Maybe2020 I don’t think so, no. I’d be inclined to agree!

There is no problem not liking food from another culture although it would make for a boring diet. What annoys me is when people travel to another country but still want the same food they have in the UK. I would ban those places on the continent serving British breakfasts. There is nothing better than experiencing a different country’s food and culture.

No. Of course its not racist to dislike a certain food but saying Yuk is rude and often that kind of comment might be made by a racist person. I've actually met several racist people in my life who've referred to foreign food as "foreign muck" or disgusting and it IS because they don't like the culture or the fact it's foreign "not British". So actually the two can go hand in hand.

Rate my plate? Usually the things on there do look atrocious, no matter what sort of cuisine it's meant to be.

Rate my plate is known for people vying to make the worst comments at times. My Dbro has dipped his toe in there once or twice.

Saying Yuck is rude, but not necessarily racist on it's own. And I've seen some fabulous looking curries and also insipid crap ones.

Sorry just seen it was indeed rate my plate. I think the point of that page is the be as mean as possible about the offerings. I doubt it was meant in a 'racist' way

I don’t like curry, or anything spicy, or rice.
When my husband asked me if I liked the look of an Indian dish on tv, I said oh yuck that’s my idea of hell!
That isn’t racist.
No, disliking the taste of a food is not racist ffs.

It's rude, and possibly racist (the commentator might be equally rude about all food they don't like)

I've never gone on rate my plate, is it meant to be a joke or is it meant to be serious cooking help/constructive criticism
e.g. 'The dish would look nicer if you swapped the carrots for green beans to add colour' or whatever.

There is no problem not liking food from another culture although it would make for a boring diet. What annoys me is when people travel to another country but still want the same food they have in the UK. I would ban those places on the continent serving British breakfasts. There is nothing better than experiencing a different country’s food and culture.

I agree. I like a British breakfast, but I also like trying out other food too.

Saying yuk is mild compared to the comments on there, it doesnt sound as if some of you have seen the the page if you think yuk is rude!

@Camomila, the page is to ‘rate’ other people’s food but it is increasingly becoming a page where people try and be as harsh as possible.

One of the most recent comments I read on there (about a lamb dinner) was ‘that looks like dogs diarrhoea that’s been eaten, spewed out, eaten and then shit out again’.

I think ‘Yuk’ is positively polite for that page and no indication of racism at all...people saying otherwise obviously aren’t familiar with the page imo.

If not liking Japanese or Chinese food makes me racist then guilty as charged.

I think even if you generally don't like a cuisine there's ways to be polite about it.

DHs family are from the Philippines and I don't really like a lot of the food. At PILs I generally take a big portion of rice/plain noodles and salad and only a little token portion of meat and no one minds.

When we have Filipino food at home DH usually takes me out a little 'plain' version to eat with less seasoning.

@flouncyfanny yeah, the food is rated purely on what it looks like. Not the best method.

If it’s the rate or slate Facebook page, it’s just part of the one slags off people food, even if it looks delicious. There’s warnings on the page it’s just a bit of fun. You are allowed to say horrible things about the food, but no personal attacks to the person posting. People have said a lot worse than yuk!

I don't like Linda McCartney's vegetarian foods, I think they taste synthetic and greasy. Does this make me racist against the scots?

Oh don’t think it’s racist in my opinion. I’m Indian

It’s rude to say ‘yuck’ and can have racist undertones

What's 'racist' about yuck? The word's been used long before the fashion for racism. It's the persistant hanging of 'racism' on almost everything that is has lost its true meaning. I don't like haggis or black pudding, does that make me anti-Scottish hence racist? OH buys Stornoway black pudding before someone starts another pointless argument.

But people are rude on RMP - it's the basis of the page. Have only been on it a week or so and I've seen many similar comments about the most British of foods.

Rude, yes. Racist, no.

Maybe2020 - Yes it is by the yardstick being used here! I only like very plain British/French food - I dislike spices and other ingredients, including pasta and any curry. However, I also dislike some British food and would say yuck to Mcdonalds or KFC or fish and chips so I am now being racist against myself??? The mind boggles.

Those pages are generally about making funny comments slating the food! I've seen a few where people submit pictures of food which looks nice and people tell them they don't get the point of the page!

But of course if someone makes a comment along the lines of one they'd make on the 50 other posts that day some of the professionally offended will have to take it upon themselves to be outraged by the racism of it all.

No it's not racist at all!

I’ve had Indian friends say British food is bland and boring is that racism?

No, that's reality.