It's no secret that the term food 'trends' can be really misleading. Detrimental fads and attitudes are too frequently promoted without much consideration of the effect it has on the way we as a society consume and understand food. And, more often than not, that effect is a pretty negative one.
Great British Bake Off alum and 'eat what you love' advocate Ruby Tandoh, has long been a champion of cutting through the misleading waffle to share honest insights into how great food is. Because, let's face it, it's not very often that food is spoken about in a positive or celebratory way. Sadly, it's because of the 'toxic' and 'elitist' attitudes within the food world that she decided to quit her recipe column in The Guardian.
She announced the news via Twitter on Tuesday morning and explained that she'd be taking a step away from 'the circles of food hell'.
'I've quit my guardian recipe column! the circles of food hell are heinous: g_les c_ren in the stinking depths, rich people slagging off convenience foods all around, professional fatphobes at every level and not a scruple in sight', Ruby wrote. 'I really tried, but i'm out'.
She added: 'there are some decent people in that world - people trying to make a difference and bring some joy and compassion to our food culture. but the stuff that makes the headlines again and again is toxic and elitist and supported by truly rotten foundations [...] and as much as we all owe it to each other to do good in the world, i can't shoulder this burden - it's too big. i can't fight and fight and fight only then to see my work ignored or co-opted; i can't continue to throw myself into the path of every Food Issue like this!'.
Ruby explained that this doesn't necessarily mean the end of her writing about food all together, but rather she's done 'trying to fight a mouldy system from within. If you can't dismantle the bullshit, you have to try creating something different and new'.
In her Twitter thread, Ruby did also share some insight to the things she has learned while working in the belly of the food culture beast. She identified that most food fads are rebranded diets, you are not allergic to MSG and that health is your social/emotional wellbeing.
'Fatphobia, ableism, classism and racism are everywhere in food writing', Ruby added. 'Processed food saves lives' and 'eat seasonally: have a creme egg'.
WATCH: Ruby Tandoh Talks Food, And Why You Should Eat What Makes You Feel Happy
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