Food snobbery

While I’m stuck on campus (or too lazy to walk home), I’ll often grab lunch at the HTM Cafe. It’s a training place for students in Hotel & Tourism Management, with food that’s a bit better than cafeteria quality, but slightly overpriced for convenience. Most of the times it falls into the category of “good enough,” but occasionally you get something really yummy.

I walked in today, and happily saw that the theme was Greek food! I was studying the menu when one of the older supervisors happily started talking to me.

Him: You want some delicious roast chicken or gyros? We’ll put it on a pita with some lemon rice, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce. You know what tzatziki sauce is?
Me: Yeah, I’m half Greek.
Him: Oh, then you won’t be having the gyros then.

Oh my god, someone who finally understands.

Gyros are okay, but as a Greek, I feel dirty choosing them over another Greek option, even if they’re from a random Purdue cafe and nothing is going to be very authentic (by the way, the chicken was yummy). They’re like the hot dog of Greek food, and seeing them shaved off a giant cone of meat product disgusts me. Whenever I go to a Greekfest and I see someone choosing that over souvlakia or pastichio or moussaka, I want to go over and shake them. And if they pronounce it “Jie-Roe” I will likely punch them in the face.

*deep breath*

Of course, I’m sure not every Greek person like me is a total food snob. I just have a vendetta against gyros, since your average non-Greek thinks that’s the most iconic Greek food ever. Though there’s other food I’m snobby about for different reasons. I will never order or attempt to make fettucini alfredo. I ate it in Alfredo’s in Rome, where it was invented, and nothing else will ever compare to that pure deliciousness. I avoid eating it to keep myself from being constantly disappointed.

Is there any food you’re snobby about? Is it because of some ethnic rage like me, or for other reasons?