A: We are the crispy edge of hospitality critique. We’re a no-holds-barred platform dishing out essays and opinion pieces about the U.S. restaurant world—think of us as the unfiltered line cooks of food discourse.
From greasy spoons to Michelin stars, we’re here to slice through the noise, providing anonymous commentary and critiques on hot button topics and fringe politics that have entered the restaurant world and changed the paradigm–sometimes for the good, but mostly for the bad.
A: We’re a ragtag collective of hospitality employees—chefs, managers, ops directors, food critics—scattered across the U.S., united by a love for the industry and a disdain for dogma.
We’re the folks who’ve flipped burgers, plated Michelin-worthy foam, given voice and life to concepts and brands, and dodged cancel culture’s swinging cleaver. We don’t wear capes, just aprons, neckties, and suit coats.
A: Because the restaurant world’s stuck in a rut of sanctimonious sludge—DEI quotas, #MeToo trauma mills, and cultural appropriation witch hunts—and we’re over it.
There’s no space out there to question the status quo without getting torched, so we built our own sandbox. We’re here to discuss, dissect, and drop truth bombs, all while asking: can’t we just make good food and treat people right without the ideological garnish?
A: We don’t believe so–we believe it’s strategic, not spineless, especially when the message is more important than the messengers.
We’re not here for clout or selfies—we want our words to do the talking, not our LinkedIn profiles.
In a world where dissent gets you canceled by those who prefer to stomp it out rather than let opposite opinions face the light of day, anonymity keeps the spotlight on the argument, not the arguer.
Plus, we’ve seen what happens when you stick your neck out: the social guillotine is real, and we’d rather keep doing the jobs we love while creating a forum to voice our opinions outside the confines of the walk-in or local bar for after-work griping.
A: Nope, no AI ghostwriters here-- some of us are trained, professional writers and some of us just have a lot of thoughts on these topics.
Our essays are 100% human-crafted by word-wielding nerds who pour their hearts, souls, and way too much coffee into every sentence.
AI’s cool, but writing is cathartic when you're as passionate as we are about the subject matter—trust us, we’ve got the keyboard calluses to prove it!
A: Because even Silence DoGood was eventually outed as Benjamin Franklin.
Besides, legacy media either can’t or won’t (or both) publish opinions contrary to the entrenched, left-leaning political belief systems that typify the writing of today from newspapers, online outlets, and publishing houses.
These outlets have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars peddling the same tired narratives, and they’re not about to risk their sponsors or readers by platforming dissenting opinions.
We’re not here to beg for scraps; we’re flipping the legacy media table, and setting up shop to cook one hell of a meal--even if it means we are eating it on milk crates by the back door.
A: No, our beliefs are simply not that simple, derivative, or able to be diminished.
We’re not here to wave flags or bash any one side—we’re apolitical truth-seekers swinging at bad ideas, not ideologies.
Sure, we’re skeptical of fringe-left dogma like DEI overreach or #MeToo profiteering-and especially how the data shows these programs have impacted the hospitality industry as a whole, but that’s because we think zero-sum games are a lousy recipe for progress. Call us contrarian, not conservative—our beef is with nonsense, not party lines.
A: It’s a nod to the crispy, rebellious edges of the hospitality world—those golden, crunchy bits that don’t fit the mold, can sometimes be a little salty, and protect what’s within.
We’re the fries that fell off the plate of polite discourse, seasoned with sass and ready to shake up the table. Plus, it’s kinda catchy and the merch will be on-point.
A: Not at all. We’re not anti-anything by default—we’re pro-reason.
If DEI actually leveled the playing field without punishing talent, we’d cheer.
If #MeToo stuck to rooting out creeps instead of cashing in on trauma and putting presumed guilt before innocence, we’d applaud.
If cultural appropriation talk didn’t turn into a segregationist food fight, we’d nod along.
We’re just calling out the excesses, the hypocrisy, and the agendas clogging up the kitchen and choking off an entire industry.
A: We chase and hunt down the elephants in the room, and have zero issue calling out truth to power.
We will tackle bigger topics worth larger word counts, and smaller gripes worth a rant. If it’s got data, stakes, or a whiff of collusion, we will be looking at it. We intend our essays to be well-researched, opinionated, and bringing a fairer and unbiased look at solutions.
A: Got a hot take from the hospitality trenches?
Be prepared to back up your stance and, if we like your take, we will look into it.
Shoot your shot via twitter DM (@askfringefries). We do not respond to email inquiries.
A: We aren't interested in promoting ourselves, and feel our writing does the talking better than interviews that can be edited and censored for content.
This is a platform dedicated and intended for the promotion of an industry we love, not for personal gains, so at this time we don't feel that granting interviews advances our cause. We do not respond to email inquiries.
Might this change? Who knows. But for now the answer will be no.
A: You know what that say about omelettes and eggs...
The hospitality world, especially in today’s politically-charged climate, is a pressure cooker, and we’re turning up the heat.
If a celebrity chef or mustache-twisting head of a media conglomerate is big mad, good—it means we hit a nerve worth poking. We’re not here to play nice; we’re here to spark real talk.
A: We win if the conversation shifts—if chefs, servers, and diners start questioning the sacred cows instead of slicing off steaks and swallowing them whole.
Success isn’t clicks or fame; it’s seeing the industry ditch the dogma and get back to what matters: great food, solid service, and a fair shot for everyone who’s got the chops and is willing to do the job.
A: We’re not randos with keyboards—we’re industry vets with skin in the game, and we all care deeply about an industry in the throes of change, with much of it not being for the better.
Our collective polices itself: every piece gets vetted for facts, tone, and intent. Trolls belong under bridges, not in our kitchen.
A: Maybe, but don’t hold your breath. If the industry chills out and dissent doesn’t mean career suicide, we might peek from the shadows.
For now, the mask stays on to keep the focus where it belongs.
A: We thrive on debate, not dogma.
Our crew is diverse in roles, regions, and takes—expect pushback within our own ranks. We’ll even publish counterpoints if they’re smart and gutsy enough.
Stagnation is not our style.