Book Review: "My Dining Hell" by Jay Rayner

I know, I don't know why I'm reading this. I came across it online and then well, here we are. I didn't have a thinking process behind it, I didn't plan to read it. It kind of just ended up here. It seemed a bit funny and the 'praise for the author' page was replaced with 'abuses for the author' in which most of the digs are at Jay Rayner's rather unsavoury appearance and 'face for radio'. But from what I know of Jay Rayner, he's a bratty restaurant reviewer. So, I wasn't really expecting all that much. Let's see how it went...

My first impression from the introduction is that the book was going to be vulgar and, well, you probably know how I feel about vulgarity (hint: I don't like it). But he is correct in stating that people prefer reading bad reviews especially when the writer gets sarcastic about it. When I write a review of a bad book I prefer, on the other hand, simply to state why I didn't like it. There's no jokes and 'making fun' there because I understand that someone worked damn hard on that book regardless of how I feel about it. There's one place where Rayner and I perhaps agree, but differ as well. Apart from that, the introduction is well written, including everything from infrequent profanity, sexual references and lines from Anna Karenina to bolster it up.

I'm not going to name names, but as we get into the book it is clear that Jay Rayner wants us to understand where gimmicky subheadings lead us - to bad dining experiences. He states that places where “modernist cuisine” or “experimental dining” devolve into bizarre presentations and tasteless formations such as: foams, gels, or dishes served in ludicrous containers. Honestly, I can't stand these types of places. I'm just looking for a nice salad, possibly with seafood, to get me through my day. I can't imagine waiting an hour just to get served fried chicken in a suitcase or something. I empathise with the writer though I don't think that these are necessarily restaurants where the taste of the food is the primary thing, more so it is the actual ridiculousness of the idea. I like to think the restaurant sees it too but what do I know about these things?

Another point is that bad food is one thing but, bad service makes it unforgettable. The author recalls dinners where waiters ignored diners, couldn’t explain the menu, or delivered the wrong dishes with an air of indifference. He uses these memories to highlight how service is often overlooked but definitely makes or breaks a meal. I think this might only be true for higher end restaurants because I don't think anyone really cares about service when it comes to your run-of-the-mill place such as the Wetherspoons. Everyone just wants their stuff as efficiently as possible and could not care less about the attitude of the wait staff since they understand too, that working there must be a nightmare.

He pays particular attention to how British restaurants, in trying to imitate continental flair or cutting-edge trends, often produce a parody of fine dining. This becomes a cultural critique, suggesting Britain’s restaurant scene has pockets of brilliance but is riddled with insecurity and misplaced ambition. I think 'misplaced ambition' is totally the correct phrase. I cannot tell you any real person who would enjoy a 'fine dining' British restaurant over the local chippy. At least there you get some good conversation and all the local gossip. I feel like when it comes to 'fine dining' British, the author is correct, everyone is just trying to do too much and they are competing with people who used to wrap chips in newspaper. It isn't a fair fight.

Jay Rayner defends the role of the critic as consumer advocate. By chronicling disastrous experiences, he argues, he not only entertains but protects diners from wasting money and punctures the inflated reputations of undeserving establishments. This commentary gives the book more weight than just anecdotal grumbling. I have to say, I thought it was just going to be some guy going off on one at the start of the book, but it does puncture the egos of some real undeserving places. I am not one who likes to waste money in expensive restaurants if I can help it (except for Fortnum's Tea Room. I will literally spend every last penny I have in that place if I have to) and I enjoy it when these places with their celebrity chefs and their high-end bullshit are brought down a peg.

All in all, I felt like this book was definitely different to how I thought it was going to be from the outset. It starts as something that sounds like a sarcastic rant but ends up actually making sense. It's a short book, perhaps barely 100 pages and so, if you've got some time, definitely check it out.