Simple Ways to Compliment Food
Use sincere phrases to praise food when dining at someone’s house. When someone takes the time to host you and prepare a meal for you, show your appreciation with some kind words. Simple expressions are often the most sincere—there’s no need to act like you’re a professional food critic. Also, don’t forget that for many people, the highest praise is an empty plate. This looks incredible! Say this before a meal to praise the presentation and appearance of a dish. It’s really good! Say this during the meal to show you enjoy it. You’ve outdone yourself! Say this to the host who made the meal to let them know they’ve gone above and beyond with their food. Everything tastes great! Say this during the meal to encompass your feelings about all of the delicious food. Wow, this is yummy! Say this informal phrase to compliment the flavor of the food. I love how flavorful this is. Say this during the meal to praise the depth of flavor and quality of the meal. This [food name] is delicious. Say this during the meal to highlight a particular dish you really like. Your [food name] is mouth-watering. Use the adjective “mouth-watering” to describe food that (figuratively) makes you drool in anticipation of how delicious it looks or tastes. Another way to compliment the hosts at a dinner party is to raise a toast to them, advises etiquette coach Tami Claytor.
Flex your foodie knowledge with specific compliments at a restaurant. When you’re enjoying a nice meal at a restaurant, it’s polite to offer some praise—and show off your culinary awareness. Although the chef isn’t there to receive the compliment, those at your table will appreciate that you’re enjoying the meal with them. Plus, it’s a free way to show gratitude when you’re not picking up the check. This [meat or fish] is seasoned to perfection! Say this during a meal to let others know you recognize the importance of seasoning in cooking. I’ve never had a better [food name] than this. Use this phrase to let people know you’ve tried the dish at other places, and this one is exceptionally good. This pairs beautifully with the wine. If you’re enjoying wine with your meal, say this to reference how nicely the alcohol and food taste together. The presentation is phenomenal! Say this before the meal when the food is brought out to show you appreciate how appetizing or beautiful it looks. The texture is just incredible. Say this while eating a dish that has a textural element, such as a crust, a flakiness, or a tenderness. Wow, it’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory! Say this specific compliment when eating a food that’s both sweet and savory.
When you enjoy multiple helpings of food, mention it in your compliments. You’re already praising the food without words when you ask for more, since this shows the cook you like the food. However, it never hurts to verbalize your enjoyment so you know your host feels appreciated. After you’ve eaten another serving, try one of these phrases. I just had to have seconds, it was so good! Say this informal phrase to compliment the food—it was so good, you needed to eat more. I could eat this every day! Use this compliment as you’re enjoying a second or third helping to show how much you love the meal. I can’t get enough of your [food name]—it’s incredible! Mention the dish you’re eating another serving of by name to let the cook know how tasty it is. I ate way too much. Everything was delicious. Joke informally that you had more servings than you should have because you just couldn’t resist.
Even if you didn’t like a meal, find something positive to say. When someone makes a meal for you, it’s their effort that matters most—not the quality of the dish. They took the time to cook for you, so take the time to compliment their hospitality, efforts, or the dish itself. If you’re at a restaurant, you can politely express why you didn’t like your meal—but don’t be too negative. You don’t want to seem rude or snobby. I’ve never tried [food name] before—thank you for introducing me to it. Use this compliment when someone makes you a food you haven’t had before, especially if it’s from their culture or a family recipe. That home-cooked meal was just what I needed. Say this after a meal to show your appreciation for a meal made from scratch. I really liked the [food name]. If you don’t feel genuine complimenting the whole meal, highlight a particular dish that you did enjoy. That was a little too salty/undersalted for my taste. At a restaurant, let others know the seasoning wasn’t to your satisfaction, but it’s about your palate—not the food itself. This is tasty, I just wish it had more… When you’re dining at a restaurant, combine a compliment with an honest comment about something you think the dish is lacking.
Creative Ways to Praise Food
Go into detail when complimenting food you enjoyed a lot. Whether you’re trying to impress your foodie friends or let a friend know their meal was great, try to give a detailed compliment about the food. Be specific about the parts of the meal that you enjoyed. Go beyond just saying, “It tastes good”—they’re sure to appreciate it. What an amazing [food name]. You knocked it out of the park! Use this common baseball expression to highlight a food you thought was exceptional. That dinner was outstanding! Everything was cooked to perfection. Compliment the “cook” or doneness of the meal to praise their technical cooking ability. Can you give me the recipe? I need to learn how to make this. Asking for the recipe is a common compliment that shows your interest in the preparation of the meal. Not everyone will want to share their recipe, and that’s okay. They’ll still be flattered that you asked. The flavors harmonize so beautifully. Use this compliment when the meal was a complex one with multiple flavors that worked well together. I can’t get over how tasty the [food name] was. How do you do it? Praise your favorite element of the dish while asking a rhetorical question about how they learned to cook so well. EXPERT TIP Wayne Dang Wayne Dang Fast Food & Social Media Expert Wayne Dang is a Fast Food Expert & Video Creator specializing in sharing restaurant and fast food reviews. Wayne has a follower base of over 90,000 YouTube subscribers and his videos have over 21 million views. He also has over 1.2 million followers on Tiktok. Wayne is known for his high energy and entertaining content. Some of his most popular content includes secret menu reviews and trying special items at restaurants. Wayne Dang Wayne Dang Fast Food & Social Media Expert Try new foods to get better at talking about them. To get better at describing how food tastes, you have to constantly try out new foods so that you can learn everything about them. Ask yourself: What does a food normally taste like？What does it feel like? Is it made right or not？
Use hyperbole to compliment food that’s truly amazing. Hyperbole is a word that refers to a dramatic exaggeration. Find the right hyperbole to show whoever made the meal that you think their food was truly great. Only use these with close friends or relatives—otherwise, people may think you’re insincere. This tastes like it came from a restaurant! Compare their food to that of a professional chef to show you think highly of their meal. Now I can’t try anyone else’s [food name]—this set the bar too high! Joke that their dish was so good, you’re afraid to try anyone else’s version of the meal because it might not compare. You need to go on Masterchef/Iron Chef/a cooking TV show! Reference a reality television show that features the best chefs to tell your family or friend they cook at the professional level. This is the best [food name] I’ve ever eaten! Say this compliment during or after a meal to indicate you really enjoyed the food—especially if it’s a complicated dish. I’ll never look at [food name] the same way again. Joke that their food was so delicious and transformative, it’s changed your perspective on what the meal can be.
Compliment the efforts of the cook to show appreciation for them. Praise the time and work that went into preparing the dish and setting up the dinner. Let them know that not only is the food really tasty, but their efforts in making it are much appreciated. This really tastes like a labor of love. Say this compliment to indicate that the cook’s passion shines through in their delicious meal. I can tell how much work you put into this. Bravo! Borrow a phrase from the theater to salute your host’s efforts making the food. Your care made this dish something special. Reference the care, or attention to detail, that they put into the dish and how it elevated the meal for you. You poured your soul into this dish, and it shows. Thank you for making it. Compliment your friend with heartfelt words that recognize their passion and talent for cooking. I can tell you put a lot of effort into this. Thank you for an amazing meal. Praise their effort directly so the cook knows their work was worth it.
Add humor to your compliments in informal situations with friends. Maybe your friend made a meal that wasn’t quite up to par, or it was so good you need to joke about it. Inject your personality into your praise as you compliment their food. Make sure your tone indicates that your comment is lighthearted and respectful in nature. If I could marry a food, this would be it. Joke that their food is so good, you’ve fallen in love with it. I didn’t know [food name] could do that. If they acknowledge that their dish is a flop, joke about how uniquely it turned out. You didn’t warn me that your food was so addictive. Compliment their food by claiming you just can’t get enough—they should’ve warned you! When can I move in? I want to eat this every day. Humorously ask if you can become their newest housemate, just so you have the chance to enjoy more of their cooking. I think I would’ve burned down the kitchen if I tried to make this. Compliment the complexity or technical quality of the dish by making a self-deprecating joke about your own cooking abilities.
Compliments to the Chef Meaning
Compliments to the chef is a formal way to compliment a meal. You can say “Compliments to the chef” or “My compliments to the chef”—they have the same meaning. While the phrase is commonly used at restaurants when you want the server to pass on your praise to the chef, you can also say it to someone who’s cooked for you at their home. For example, after a meal at a restaurant that you really enjoyed, you may tell the waiter, “Give my compliments to the chef.” Or simply, “My compliments to the chef.” At a friend’s dinner, you may tell them, “That was so good! Compliments to the chef.” While it sounds a little formal, it’s a common way to express praise for a meal you enjoyed.
How to Compliment Food Pictures Online
Use emojis and adjectives to compliment food pictures on social media. When you’re scrolling through your feed, a nice dish might catch your eye. Leave a compliment in the comments to spread some kindness. If it’s a dish someone made, praise their talent. If it’s food they ordered at a restaurant, praise the food (and maybe ask them to send you the details). Now I’m craving this. Comment this to suggest that the food picture made you hungry. There’s nothing [food name] can’t solve. Write this joking message to praise the almost healing-like powers of the food. This looks finger-licking good! Reference the catchphrase of the fast-food chain KFC to get a laugh. What’s the name of this dish? I have to try it. Comment this if someone’s posted a picture of a dish you’re not familiar with. Drop the recipe. Ask them for the recipe if they’re sharing a picture of a dish they made themselves. We need to get this next time we’re together. Comment this on the post of a close friend when they share a picture of a food or drink from a restaurant so they know you’d like to try it with them in the future. ???? Type this emoji to express that the food looks yummy. ???? Use the drooling emoji to let the poster know their food picture is making your mouth water. That looks amazing! I’m so jealous. Comment this compliment to playfully express your envy at the incredible food they’re posting about. You bless my feed with your cooking. If someone’s posted a picture of a dish they made, let them know how much it brightens your day (and whets your appetite) with this compliment.
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