We have a battle to fight. It will be long and bloody, and it will get much harder before it gets easier. If you think I’m kidding it’s because text doesn’t convey tone very well. Also there won’t actually be blood, but seriously, this is serious.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

1. Humans eat with our eyes. We want to see what we’re eating and verify that it is in good condition and won’t make us sick. That’s basic biology.
2. Savvy chefs capitalize on this natural urge by making food that looks extra appealing.
3. Because of social media, that whole “eat with your eyes” thing has gotten out of hand. Everyone posts pictures of their food, and the only pictures that gain traction are the pictures that look awesome.
4. Restaurateurs and influencers who want extra credibility have learned that the more bombastic their food looks, the more engagement it will get online.

So here’s the new reality as the modern internet would have you believe: by far the most popular food (at least online) is whatever triggers the little hamster in your brain to sit up straight and go “Oh, that looks yummy!”

There’s a big problem here. You’ve probably already noticed it before, but I’m going to say it just so we’re all on the same page.

Just because food looks extra incredibly extremely good doesn’t mean it necessarily tastes that great. A huge number of recipes online are merely designed to look amazing but don’t actually taste that great.

These are the kinds of recipes we call “stunt food.” You know, where their maker is just pulling some kind of publicity stunt, but not actually selling good food.

Why do I make such a big deal out of this? There are a few reasons:

• Stunt food is generally super unhealthy.
• Stunt food is a cheap and overused marketing ploy that counts on its audience being too stupid to see what’s going on.
• Stunt food laughs in the face of the true culinary arts.

All in all, stunt food is everything the Cook’n Family stands against.

Oh Wow, You’re Right! So How Do I Identify Stunt Food so I Don’t Fall into this Devious Trap?

What a great question! There are several signs to watch for:

• Is the food’s main appeal about how BIG it is?
• Is the food thoughtfully assembled, or is it just an amalgamation of greasy stuff that gets your heart pumping?
• Is the food a silly attempt to make something normal gourmet?
• Does the food use flashy, yet meaningless buzzwords like “American wagyu?”
• Is the food a brand new trend that whatever influencer says you need to hop on now?
• Is the food trying to get you to buy something specific, like go to a restaurant or purchase a certain brand?

When you look at food—whether it’s on TikTok, while touring the Boardwalk or while looking at a menu—if it answers yes to one or more of the questions above, it’s probably stunt food. And if it’s stunt food, it’s generally no good.

Don’t get me wrong—tons of people love stunt food. They love it because it was expensive and they want to justify dropping money on it; they love it because it makes for a cool picture that will get them likes on Instagram; they love it because it helps them believe they’re the kind of person that eats awesome food. However, it’s not the same as actually enjoying a well-cooked meal.

In Case I Sound Too High Strung…

Don’t get me wrong, I love a beautifully plated meal. However, I don’t love it at the expense of a good meal. I won’t pay extra just because you put lipstick on the pig.

I love beautiful food. I love chocolate and sugar sculpting, I love frosted cakes. I love seeing a plate be put together like a little edible work of art. Most of all, I love seeing that the meat is properly seared, the vegetables were cooked just so that the colors pop, and the sauce is properly emulsified without using chemicals.

What’s my point? I don’t know. I guess it’s that the next time you’re preparing food, you should take a moment to be grateful for real food. And make sure you keep sharing that incredible real food with your Cook’n Family.