Susie Dent shares her frustrations with a ‘pretentious’ restaurant habit.

Susie Dent, a well-known star from the show “Countdown,” has expressed her frustration with restaurants that use fancy and complicated language to describe simple dishes. At 60 years old and living in Woking, she finds it tiring when eateries dress up basic meals with pretentious terms and wants them to just be clear and straightforward.

According to Dent, many restaurants exaggerate their menu descriptions to make their food sound more elegant. For example, she pointed out that eggs are often labeled as “farm-fresh,” chips are called “hand-cut,” and salt is claimed to be sourced from the Himalayas. Even chocolate truffles, she noted, must be described as “dusted in cocoa” to sound better.

In a piece written for Saga Magazine, Dent said she prefers a more honest and simple approach when browsing menus. She would rather skip elaborate phrases like “artisanal organic signature sourdough, toasted to a golden hue and suffused with salt-encrusted butter,” or “perfectly al dente pasta enveloped in a velvety béchamel sauce from a blend of barrel-aged cheeses and finished with a layer of hand-rubbed breadcrumbs.” She believes it’s much better to stick to familiar comfort foods like toast with butter or mac and cheese, without the frills.

Dent emphasizes that comfort food deserves simple and cozy descriptions. She feels that terms like “iconic” are also overused on menus, being applied to everything from vegan sausage rolls to doughnuts. As a word expert, she welcomes the evolution of the English language, noting that it reflects how society changes over time. However, she is concerned that some words used today don’t match their true meanings. For instance, she thinks the word “tragic” should only describe real sad events, not be used casually. Similarly, the term “star” should be saved for truly outstanding individuals, rather than those who merely hold doors open.

Interestingly, Dent admits that she also falls into the trap of using exaggerated language in her own writing. For instance, when she feels a bit tired, she might say she’s “shattered” instead. When she’s hungry, she prefers to say she’s “starving” and when it’s cold, she describes herself as “freezing.” Nowadays, it seems like everyone tends to use stronger language to express feelings, even if it isn’t strictly necessary.

In a previous interview, Susie mentioned her desire to revive old words in the English language that have mostly disappeared. One example is “nodcrafty,” a term from the 19th century that describes someone who pretends to pay attention during a meeting while actually zoning out. She believes this is a valuable skill to have. Another rare word she likes is “apricity,” which describes the lovely feeling of warmth from the sun on a chilly winter day. This term appears to have only one record from 1623, and she finds it encouraging that weather forecasters are starting to use it again.

Overall, Dent’s thoughts highlight a longing for simplicity and honesty in language, especially when it comes to describing our food and feelings. She believes that sometimes, less is more and that straightforward words often convey the best messages.