Food snobs mocked an elderly woman reviewer until Anthony Bourdain stepped in and changed everything

Doing your work with passion and kindness renders good outcomes, even if it takes a while, and the story of Marilyn Hagerty tells this like no other. The columnist wrote “The Eatbeat” in The Grand Forks Herald for 26 years, according to the New York Times. She penned a few words about North Dakota’s first Olive Garden restaurant opening back in 2012, and her simple and honest review received hate and trolling — and later, became iconic. While she didn’t think much of it, celebrity chef, the late Anthony Bourdain, stepped into the picture and turned things around. The woman passed away in September this year, leaving the world with kindness taught through cuisine and love for food. 

With a small population and even fewer restaurants, there was little to report on, but the woman did it with fervour and love. When Olive Garden opened in her city, as any honest columnist would, she put down her thoughts after the first visit. The review and comments were simple; she described her experience quite naturally to give a better idea about what a regular customer experience would look like. Unfortunately, this received much backlash. She was repeatedly trolled for her language and simple terms. Hagerty’s statement, “The chicken Alfredo ($10.95) was warm and comforting on a cold day. The portion was generous. My server was ready with Parmesan cheese,” seemed too generic for the internet, and off they went with their nasty remarks.

In a video shared by @andyjiang_, it was revealed that some even titled her work “pathetic,” but each time, the elderly woman responded with grace and kindness only. She kept to her work because it was fueled by passion and love for food and writing. Eventually, the trolls were faced by a wave of supporters, and it all ended up making her review viral, CBS Sunday Morning reported. “I didn't know what viral was, of course. Then, when someone told me that I had 1.3 million hits that first day,” she recalled. And talent always recognizes talent. While many were cribbing about Hagerty’s work, Bourdain saw spectacular potential.

“I just thought, actually, this body of work, these 30 years of reviews of dining in North Dakota, is in a sense a history of dining in America. And I just thought, ‘I want to publish this person,’” Chef Bourdain said in a previous interview, shared by NPR. And he did. He compiled years of skilled work, experience, and cuisine to publish “Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews” in 2013. He even wrote the Foreword, which read, “Anyone who comes away from this work anything less than charmed by Hagerty and the places and characters she describes has a heart of stone.” He made it evident that he was inspired by her skill set. 

Hagerty reportedly passed away at the age of 99 due to complications from a stroke. Her career had consisted of many wins and life-changing moments, not just for her, but for others, too. Hagerty’s writing journey began with her college newspaper, where her love grew deeper, promoting her to editor of the paper. She even gave the late Mr. Neuharth, the founder of USA Today, his first job in journalism. The woman graduated with a degree in journalism and eventually found herself managing the Eatbeat. The latter revolved around the eats of her city. 

To put into words what one savours in its authentic and simplest form is truly an art. “I don't actually consider myself a food critic. I consider myself a reporter in that I'm telling the people what they can find,” Hagerty previously said. And she stuck to that with her factual and to-the-point columns until the very end. The internet is delighted that the woman got her time to shine and is grateful to Bourdain, who recognized her art for what it was. @the_walkable_diary wrote, “There’s nothing Anthony hated more than food snobs and snobbery in general.” @kangaroo5383 added, “They are both such gifts to the world…Too good for this world.” 

You can follow (@andyjiang_) on Instagram for more wholesome content. 

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