真‧蛙蛙屋‧新

下面這段文字，是料理鼠王中，美食評論家Anton Ego對最後一道菜餚的評論，我覺得不只適用於美食，更適用於任何評論，尤其是那句「我們的評論，可能根本比不上我們大肆批評的平庸事物！」。

"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so."

「就許多方面來說，評論家的工作很輕鬆；我們冒的風險很小，卻握有無比的權力。人們必須奉上自己和作品，供我們評論。我們喜歡吹毛求疵，因為讀寫皆饒富趣味。但我們評論家得面對難堪的事實，就是以價值而言--我們的評論，可能根本比不上我們大肆批評的平庸事物！」

"But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core."

「可是，有時評論家必須冒險去發掘並捍衛新的事物！昨晚，我有個全新的體驗：一頓奇妙的菜餚，來自令人意想不到的出處！如果說這頓菜餚和它的創作者挑戰了我對美食先入為主的觀念，這麼說還太含蓄，因為他們徹底地震撼了我！」

"In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize that only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more."

「過去我曾公開嗆聲，對食神的名言『料理非難事』嗤之以鼻！不過我一直到現在才真正了解他的意思。並非每個人都能成為偉大的藝術家，不過偉大的藝術家卻可能來自任何角落。現今在食神餐廳掌廚的天才，出身之低微，令人難以想像。依在下的看法，他是法國最優秀的廚師。我很快會再度光臨食神餐廳，以滿足我的口腹之慾。」