In 2005, YouTube launched and taught everyone the “Evolution of Dance.” Brangelina became a portmanteau, Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah’s couch, and the biggest show on TV was American Idol, where millions texted to vote for their favorite. And in July of that year, two New York City bloggers published the first post on a website they called Eater NY, “intended to be a one-stop shop for information and commentary on the New York food and drink scene.” Back then, “foodie” was a bad word. Instead, to be an “eater” was to harbor an irritating curiosity about the minutiae of what was happening in your neighborhood, to turn restaurants (and those who created them) into their own kind of micro-celebrity, to revel in gossip about an industry at once grueling and glamorous. And yes, to dine well at the same time.
In the 20 years since, pop culture has come a long way — food and drink are the center of culture itself. Your grandparents and kids watch cooking shows on YouTube. “Cruffin” is the new portmanteau of choice, celebrities’ custom smoothies go viral right alongside their antics, and the biggest show on TV is about the stress of running a Chicago fine dining restaurant. Our phones make it impossible to escape information and commentary about food, whether it’s Instagram and TikTok feeds, review sites, or in your group DMs. Everyone knows what kale and burrata and kombu and sous vide are. Maybe everyone’s now, in some way or another, an eater.
So to celebrate our 20th anniversary, Eater’s taking the opportunity to look back at how the restaurant industry and food culture — and thus culture at large — have changed since 2005. Along with the late-September launch of our first print magazine (!!!), we’ll be rolling out stories, videos, and other fun-sized content that unpacks the dominant food trends and personalities of the past two decades. There will be celebrations honoring the restaurants that have also endured for this long, and many, many easter eggs for longtime Eater fans (and haters; we love you, too).
We’re kicking off the anniversary bash right now, but follow along for more as our ongoing birthday party unfolds.
A lot has happened in the past 20 years. Here’s to 20 more.
Since 2005, we’ve told you where to eat and why it matters.
and a lot's changed since then.
