“If You Use A Glass Cutting Board, We Can’t Be Friends”: 50 People Share Their Most “Gatekeeping” Culinary Opinions

While recipes are useful, folks should prioritize WHY things work in a recipe over just memorizing a recipe.

You are not a chef if you have not ever worked in a professional kitchen or had formal training.

I know someone who thinks she's an influencer and calls herself the Rachael Ray of our city. She refers to herself as a chef even though she's never even been a server at a restaurant, let alone work in a kitchen under a chef or pro.

It prob shouldn't annoy me as much as it does.

Fresh Thyme is the answer!!!

Blending a tub of Cool Whip with a block of cream cheese and throwing it in a pie crust does not make cheesecake. Call it something else. That s**t ain't cheesecake, full stop.

Freshly ground black pepper is so much better than pre-ground (like the stuff in shakers at restaurants).

People who refuse to try new tastes, foods and dishes suck.

There is no shame in using a meat thermometer to get the temp you want.

Preoccupation with dish authenticity is toxic. The authenticity of a dish varies by geography and culture so for example something like 'street tacos' will never be authentic because they are different depending on where you are. Snobbery takes away the pleasure of experiencing food.

Bacon does not belong in everything.

If your middle eastern/Mediterranean place serves bad or bland hummus I’m not even going to bother with the rest of your menu. If you can’t get the basics right don’t waste my time.

Burn marks from taking food out of the oven with just a thin towel/your bare hands are not “badges of honor”. Protect yourself and wear some damn gloves.

Stop calling mayo with anything mixed into aioli.

If you say white folks can’t cook. You been eating the wrong food.

People eat the "fast" versions of food for different reasons then the authentic versions of food. People don't eat Kraft mac and cheese and expect it to be the best they've ever had, they eat it because it's easier to make then an actual homemade Mac and cheese. Sometimes your brain just craves the weird powdered cheese flavor from Kraft and sometimes it wants the real cheese flavors that come from homemade Mac and cheese. Both can be good in their own categories but shaming people for eating "non-authentic" versions of food is just weird and elitist.

Edit cause people keep saying it - I'm aware that this isn't gatekeeping. I typed this out and posted it without realizing that I mixed up gatekeeping and controversial, both questions come up on this sub so often that I didn't even think about the difference until a few people pointed it out.

I have a few about cajun food.

Jambalaya is a dry rice dish. If someone is serving a sauce over rice and calling it jamabalaya, they have no idea what that dish should be.

Cajun does not equal so spicy it can't be eaten. Most cajun food is full of flavor and not all that spicy.

I have been to a few restaurants and seen dishes to the effect of "Pasta with cajun sauce" I don't know WTF cajun sauce is, but in all my years, no one in my family ever made it or heard of it.

Washing your meat just spreads germs in your sink. It’s gross and a waste of time

Fresh garlic that you peel and chop yourself is SO much better than the c**p in a jar. Yes it's more work but it's so worth it I don't get why anyone complains.

MSG makes average food delicious, and takes delicious food over the top.

Kind of the opposite of gatekeeping, but to quote a time honored classic movie about a rat cooking, "Anyone can cook".

It is worth it in every possible way to learn how to cook, if even just for yourself.

Tin foil can be used both ways. It makes no difference. The smooth and matt sides are from the manufacturering process.