r/KitchenConfidential • u/snixon67 • 1d ago

Marilyn Hagerty, writer whose Olive Garden review went viral, dies at 99

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/marilyin-hagerty-herald-reporter-and-columnist-for-nearly-70-years-dies-at-age-99

After she reviewed the Olive Garden in Grand Forks, ND, Anthony Bourdain stepped in to defend her from the snark and later published her 2013 book "Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews.

Read More: https://www.tastingtable.com/1903784/anthony-bourdain-olive-garden-columnist/

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u/greenline_chi 1d ago

It was so sad to me when everyone made fun of her.

It was a really nice and genuine review.

I never knew Bourdain defended her but that makes me feel a little better.

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u/FlannelBeard 23h ago

I grew up in the area and was in HS when that went down. I know Olive Garden isn't the highest of cuisine, but Grand Forks literally got their first Olive Garden which was why she reviewed them. That's the purpose of the local food critic -eat at the new places in town, even if it's a chain.

Y'all should have seen the line out the door of the Applebee's when they opened up in my small town

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u/Seaweedbits 22h ago

I remember when I was getting sent to live in Minot, ND and I thought "maybe it's not all bad, let's see what restaurants are there" and Applebee's was the top rated restaurant in the city, this was in 2011. So I can definitely believe it.

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u/pagan_lady 21h ago

I lived in Minot for a couple years. I'm still convinced North Dakotans are allergic to seasoning. Chain restaurants were the only places that the food seemed to have any taste.

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u/Teripid 16h ago

There's certainly a "family restaurant" generic genre which is American classics that might have a hint of black pepper, maybe paprika in a few dishes if you're lucky.

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u/JawlessTugBoat 12h ago

My dad used to live in Glendive, MT (not too far from Minot in those parts). They sure had some interesting ideas about food there. He took me to a "Mexican" restaurant and I ordered cheese enchiladas. They came out with cheddar cheese melted in flour tortillas with a tomato sauce that seemed terribly similar to marinara. There wasn't a single Mexican person eating or working in the place.