What did I learn? That the late Russell Norman lived and tragically passed away this week. For those who, like me, assumed he was a friend or relative of Liz’s, he was actually the ‘Restaurateur who repackaged Venetian and Florentine cuisine for the hipster generation.’ I know. How is this relevant to women hoping to live better post trauma?
For me, Liz missed the crux of his tragic passing – the impact on his wife and children. The age-old adage, ‘behind every great man is a great woman,’ is evident through the adoring obituaries and celebratory articles. While Russell pursued his career, his wife raised their children, making personal sacrifices. In interviews, he acknowledges his success and ability to work fulfilling 18 hour days is thanks to his wife’s selflessness.
I follow Liz because she claimed to offer advice on living better post-trauma. I thought this meant tips on balancing work, parenting exam-aged daughters, supporting children dealing with trauma and managing my own emotional struggles. I envisioned help navigating challenging bureaucracy, a situation many women find themselves in after becoming single or widowed.
However, Liz doesn’t seem to see or understand these challenges. It’s not a criticism of her character but an observation that she may not be the best advocate for women. She appears to focus on the handsome man, his middle-class lifestyle and her connection to Venice, while I see a difficult road ahead for his wife and children. Liz’s condolences feel empty.
Until her recent posts celebrating him and offering condolences to his family with a ‘papped’ photo, I had never heard of him. Why? Because, like many women post-divorce, I don’t have the time, money, or emotional capacity to dine out, especially in a city far from where I live, to support ‘London’s coolest restaurateur,’ who ‘blazed a trail with small plates and no reservations,’ and had ‘an unconventional formula of small plates, loud music, [and] waiters with tattoos and bed hair.’
Last week, Liz rightfully responded to a troll by stating she can choose who she publicly supports. However, it feels like she is celebrating a middle-class white man in his 50s who made dining out more enjoyable for his social contemporaries, while ignoring the struggles that many women face as I type.
Do I dare suggest she sets up an Instagram for each audience? Right now, her ‘shove it all in one channel’ approach is helping no one, least not herself.