> Feels familiar...

Sadly, very much so as a person who has actually been in the Industry on both Continents. My old teammate and I went to a renown Chef's place near a skiing village to seek other prospects for him and he ordered one of the daily specials for the table, Linguini and clams, what we had was in his words 'like the packaged Lipton noodles.'

Italian is my repertoire, so while I didn't speak my face said it all and we abruptly ended the meal then and there and they chose to drink instead. I couldn't even enjoy the house spirits, which they made on site at the distillery, as it was incredibly bitter and I just slid it to my friend.

Hours earlier we were eating local, seasonal stone-fruit and some so-so grocery store tier charcuterie paired with wine from Rioja I had brought for an aperativo, that quite honestly was 1/5 the price of the bill but overall way more balanced and satisfying then anything I had in that restaurant.

It's sad, because I know that restaurants are really hurting right now as a whole, and some of the stories really cut deep, but I'd argue that had nothing changed the US culinary World would eventually just be indistinguishable from the Commercial crap that litters Attractions like DisneyLand and such and caters to the lowest common denominator.

Commercialization and commodification is almost like a Religion in the US and that expands to its food/diet with horrible consequences (diabetes/heart disease); whereas in much of the rest of the World, Food has much more significance and reverence than Religion as an institution ever had: I've eaten Sunday Ragu at the Nona's house, covered in Catholic Art and crucifixes, with a devout Atheist in Italy who would bow his head before eating just to be able to enjoy the amazing 2-3 hour dining experience!

I mean the idea of re-inventing the grilled cheese, or Bao with friend chicken or having sprinkle-laden sweets is quite honestly pathetic given how rich the Ag culture is in certain places of the US. Not to mention all of the European, Asian, African and Central/South American diaspora that happened.

To this day my favorite spots to eat are usually tiny, mom/pop Asian spots like pho places, or Thai restaurants with limited menu offerings. They do something they know and love, and do it well.

No glitz, no glamour, no celebrity chef: just amazing food. And when you tip them 50-100% of the bill their faces still light up.

> Americans were also renowned for eating with great speed: Delmonico’s scheduled an average of eight to ten minutes per course for their fourteen-course meal. Dinner was served from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Food could still be had later in the evening, but choices were more limited.

This is also something I think really irks me about US (food) culture in general; I never accepted any job offer that didn't allow me to have a 1 hour lunch after my horrible experience when I worked in a Lab.

And while this haste model makes sense for things like Ramen, something I only have a luke-warm relationship with, it's not something I would ever consider a desirable attribute in a Culture, and one of the reasons I never felt truly at home in the US. The notion of rushing what is often the most social, a pleasurable period of my day (Dinner) is unfathomable to me. Being at the table for 2-4 hours is not an exception, it's a norm when I dine with family and friends.