Why do people say British food is terrible? What do they actually eat? (I like fish and chips though)?

Answer 1

I am a British chef working in a theme restaurant in Orlando, I have been a chef for over 20 years in many countries. Just to set the record straight, we do not boil/fry/under season/ignore taste in the UK. We do not eat a lot of processed food and certainly do not fry everything! We do not live on Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips and drink warm beer! Britain has had a blend of different cultures for over 150 years and these cultures have become a part of life, like over here in the USA. We colonized India and brought back the local recipes, same as we did in Hong Kong and many other countries. British food can be extremely tasty, I can only say people who have had a bad experience have eaten at sub-standard places! Also, it's become a bit of a tradition for Americans to slag off nearly everything that is British! I am saying this in an unbiased way, I have lived in the USA for many years, my husband and children are American and I choose to live here and live an American life, not the life of a transplanted Brit!! Try British food, you may be surprised and enjoy it, I know all my American relatives do!

Answer 2

I lived in Britain until I was 19, so that's where I developed my food tastes. But I've since lived in a few other places too, so I've developed a taste for many other cuisines as well; Jap, Paki, Chinese, Mex, Indian, Russian, Thai... Not all British food is crap. Go into a pub in Britain and you'll probably get a really good pub meal; roast beef and Yorkshire pud, steak and kidney pie, fish and chips, scampi and chips, *******, Scotch eggs, pork pies, shepherds' pie, toad in the hole... British schools, when I attended them, used to serve cheap school hot lunches, which admittedly were bloody awful by any reasonable standards, and other institutions in Britain, like jails, hospitals and looneybins had a knack for serving overcooked, underseasoned food. But if you read a good British cookbook and follow the recipe, you can produce an excellent meal. And they produce really good cheeses, beers, ciders, stews and pies.

Answer 3

A lot of the people I know who have traveled to Great Britain have made the mistake of eating at restaurants that cater to tourists. Typically the foods there are not good. They soon discovered that if they ate in the pubs and places where the locals were going, the food was good.

Answer 4

I've spent time in the UK, and while some of it is different that what we eat in the US, they eat many of the same foods. I've had lots of excellent food in the UK. For meals at home, they serve less processed food than we do, I would say. They have much less fast food than we are besieged with.
The food is not all bland, they just prefer different seasonings than most US food. It's what you are used to, usually. Curry is hugely popular, and is far from bland.

Answer 5

I've visited a few times. A lot of lunch shops sell sandwiches or 1/2s in plastic boxes. Sushi is available & also lots of Indian food.


I had a heck of a time trying to find bagels, or non fat/ low fat. frozen yogurt.

I think in the 1950s, 60s, etc they ate a lot of meat & steak & eggs, but they have a wealth of different cultures & ethnic cuisine & great restaurants. There is also a huge vegetarian movement there so you can always find healthy veggie rest. hope this helps.

Answer 6

The main reason people say that British food is terrible, which i have to say i hate the food myself, is due to the preparation, cooking method and seasoning of the food. There is no Spice, Herbs or even marinades used in British cooking+ nasty plain food. Most of there food is boiled which leaves it void of vitamins, minerals, tenderness, and again flavor. If you wanna try it go ahead but if you like real food don't waste your time and taste Buds on this garbage.

Answer 7

In general the British do not like their food to be "mucked about with" so we just take the raw ingredients (meat, veg etc), cook them (by boiling, frying etc), and if the end result needs any seasoning then we just stick some ketchup or brown sauce on it! Works fine for most of us!

Answer 8

Well rotfl! Curry is Indian! Most British food are boiled or roasted. Pretty mild with the seasonnings as that's what they are used to. But in the last 15 years or so, the English have been trying new ways to prepare their food. FINALLY.

Answer 9

British people don't eat, they stuff their faces.
They're more into drinking anyhow.
Obviously this is a generalization, but I'm talking about British tourists in Spain for instance, you know, the hooligan type.

Answer 10

I find their food very bland. The eat a lot of potatoes and bangers. Now with the influence of eastern food it is much better. They also eat great quantities of meat. Not too good for you!