Now, when you hear the words “British” and “food” together, you may, perhaps, have some reservations about what may come next. After all, we Brits have developed a quite the reputation over the years for our less-than-stellar cuisine, with the rest of the world revelling in the fact that, after conquering half of the planet in pursuit of spices, we neglect to actually use them, preferring our old favourites like beans on toast.

Growing up, I was a horrendously picky eater, so for me, the debate surrounding British food had little bearing on my life. I was happy with my chicken nuggets and chips, and I didn’t care what anyone thought. However, as I grew older, I became increasingly aware of how those overseas perceived our dishes, and the advent and proliferation of social media only served to strengthen this viewpoint. 

I do believe that most of us Brits, myself included, are not too concerned with what those over the pond think of us. However, it is undeniable that the prevailing opinion about British food around the world is that it is bland and boring. I would be lying if I said that I too hadn’t thought the same thing (although I saw this as a positive, being the picky eater that I was!).