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Food criticism is an excellent career for those passionate about culinary arts and writing. Starting out in the industry requires building your resume over time via individual reviews until you can make it your full-time job. Familiarize yourself with the top food critics and immerse yourself in the food industry to gain important experience. Once you've begun working as a food critic, network with other critics and practice strong, ethical work to build your career.
Steps
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Graduate from high school. Although some food critics begin their career through entry-level jobs in the food industry, a college degree will open more doors for you when applying for jobs. If you have not graduated from high school, finish your GED first.
- Culinary arts training could help you understand the inner world of the food industry as an alternative, if finishing high school or college isn't of interest to you.
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Pursue a degree in English, communications, or, journalism. The majority (~70%) of food critics have a bachelor's degree. Because food writing is a competitive field, plan on a degree that will give you strong communication, writing, and critical thinking skills. The courses you take will prepare you for your future job and help you make connections with other writers.
- Take culinary classes to familiarize yourself with different dishes and cooking terms. If your school offers a minor in culinary arts, you might consider adding it as a resume booster.
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Write at your university's print or online publication. Even if your university doesn't have a food reviews section, working at your college's press can give you valuable experience. Gaining article clips and working in the journalism industry will help you secure valuable internships or entry positions later.
- Ask your university publication if you can write a food column or local restaurant reviews.
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Complete an internship. If possible, look for an internship with a food critic. You'll be able to gain relevant experience and start building your portfolio with a mentor to give you advice. Non food-related writing internships can also help you gain writing experience, if you're unable to secure a culinary position. [1] X Research source
- Treat your internship like an actual job. You may feel like your work during the internship pales in comparison to the professionals, but you will have an impact on the organization you intern with. [2] X Research source
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Apply for entry-level writing positions. Your first writing job might not be within the food industry. You may work covering lifestyle pieces in your city newspaper or creating content marketing for a certain business. Use this position as a stepping stone to keep you employed while you're building a food critic career.
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Familiarize yourself with other food critics. Studying those who have already made it as critics will help you learn what writing techniques work and how to build your own career. Read work from critics who review a variety of dishes to get a broader familiarity with the food critic world. Some contemporary food critics to begin with include: [3] X Research source
- Gael Greene
- Sam Sifton
- Michael Bauer
- Jeffrey Steingarten
- Corby Kummer
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Broaden your culinary palate. Food critics need to familiarize themselves with foods of all ingredients and backgrounds. When you go to a new restaurant, order something you're unfamiliar with (even if you're not sure you'll enjoy it). Analyze the different components in what you eat. How do the flavors work together? What techniques did the chef use to create it? [4] X Research source
- Don't refuse to review anything but a certain kind of food. Try everything and anything. After all, few food critics make it in the industry by reviewing only chicken nuggets, chocolate ice cream, and other "safe" foods.
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Begin writing your own sample articles. A good food critique will involve so much more than just describing whether you like the food. Look to the articles of critics you admire when writing your first pieces. A good food critique will address all elements of your experience, like the atmosphere, staff service, dishes that stood out to you, and your overall impressions. [5] X Research source
- Write with confidence and honesty. Being too kind or too critical of a restaurant will not benefit your readers. Avoid complicated restaurant jargon like "dropping the check" or complicated culinary terms.
- Using first-person ("I") is considered bad form. Avoid mentioning yourself personally and focus on the restaurant. Second-person ("you") is okay in small doses.
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Pitch yourself to food publications as a critic. While you're gaining your ground as a food critic, you may need reviewing experience before you find a full-time critic job. Begin by pitching yourself to different publications. Email your resume, your cover letter, a small article pitch, and a few article samples. Your article pitch should be a brief paragraph about your article idea and why this publication is a good fit for it. [6] X Research source
- Start with local publications (like your city's local magazine) and work your way up to more prestigious publications as you publish articles.
- Read the publication's pitching guidelines (usually listed on their website) before you email them. This will let you know who to send the email to and how to organize your submission.
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Look for paid positions with a print or web publication. Once you've gained experience writing reviews for different publications, begin applying to full-time critic positions. You may secure a job writing a weekly food column or handling restaurant reviews for a certain magazine.
- Continue doing freelance work on the side to bolster your resume and increase your writing visibility.
- Eventually, you may receive enough pitch acceptances to work full-time doing freelance work for different publications. Some writers prefer this to working full-time for a specific company because of the flexibility. Decide what lifestyle best fits you.
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Join the Association of Food Journalists (AFJ). The AFJ preserves ethical and high-quality food writing by connecting as professionals. Members benefit from working with other food critics, receiving access to newsletters and seminars, and attending an annual AFJ conference. To become a member, you must commit to the AFJ food critic guidelines and pay an annual fee. [7] X Research source
- Memberships are calendar-based and available every January.
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Start a blog. Posting reviews on your personal blog or website will help you gain a stronger writing platform. Review restaurants you visit while at home or abroad, even if you haven't been commissioned by a publisher to write it. Consider adding other food-related posts (such as tips for aspiring critics or the elements of a good dish) to gain more traction.
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Network with other food critics. Collaborate with other critics you meet via the AFJ or while working on assignment. Learn from their insights, and give your own advice to newer members in the industry. The food critic business can be competitive, so having friends looking out for you can help you withstand the tough moments.
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Remain "anonymous." Food critics prefer to keep a low profile so restaurants do not recognize them and manipulate the usual food quality or service in their own favor. You don't have to write your work under a pseudonym, but don't draw more attention to yourself at a restaurant than is necessary. Announcing yourself as a food critic while dining out is considered unprofessional. [8] X Research source
- Although unnecessary, some food critics write under a pen name.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionIs a food critic highly paid?Community AnswerThe average annual salary for a food critic was $88,000 per year as of 2013, according to the job site Indeed.com. Many food critics have bachelor's degrees in English, journalism or communications, but it's not always required.
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QuestionDo you have to do more than love food to be a good food critic?Community AnswerYou have to write well and be interesting and insightful enough to draw the attention and respect of an audience. And you have to know food well, meaning, have a lot of experience with eating various types of food (and many different variants of the same basic dish), know about ingredients and cooking methods, be able to notice subtle differences, be able to tell what is good quality, etc. These skills and knowledge are developed over many years with practice and attention.
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QuestionHow do I go about sharing my article via Facebook as a freelance writer?Community AnswerYou can make a page and invite people to like your page. Also you can share in different groups about your article by sending them a link.
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Tips
- A food critic's salary will vary depending on where their reviews are published. Critics whose work is secured in a national magazine may make more than freelance critics publishing local news articles. [9] X Research sourceThanks
- Remember that your job as a food critic is to scrutinize food and help the readers know if they'll enjoy it or not. If you give an inaccurate impression of the food, people will be dissatisfied with your work. Being too kind or too rude is not in your readers' best interest.Thanks
- Visit your city's most well-known restaurants as well as hole-in-the-wall joints. Immersing yourself in local foodie culture will familiarize yourself with a variety of foods. Review the restaurants on your blog or website to gain reviewing experience.Thanks
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Warnings
- Establishing yourself as a food critic may take time. If you would prefer not to spend years before you can work full-time doing what you love, another career may be a better fit.Thanks
- Being a food critic is not for the thin-skinned. Restaurants might bad mouth you, other foodies could send you hate mail, and you might face serious competition against your fellow critics. Critics must develop confidence and not take rude comments to heart. [10] X Research sourceThanks
- A common misconception about food critics is that restaurants give them meals on the house. Most food critics actually pay for their food, although some may be reimbursed by their publisher. [11] X Research sourceThanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about being a food critic, check out our in-depth interview with Wayne Dang .
References
- ↑ http://educationcareerarticles.com/education-articles/majors-overview/how-to-become-a-food-critic/
- ↑ http://internsdc.com/internship-advice/how-to-be-the-best-intern-ever/
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-daily-meal/most-followed-food-critics-twitter_b_854871.html
- ↑ https://www.freelancewriting.com/freelancing/how-to-become-a-food-critic/
- ↑ http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2014/02/how_to_write_like_a_restaurant.html
- ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/jay-rayner-how-to-become-a-food-critic-2016-4
- ↑ https://www.afjonline.com/membership-information/
- ↑ http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2014/02/how_to_write_like_a_restaurant.html
- ↑ http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/100001184/FOOD-CRITIC.html
About This Article
Article Summary
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Becoming a food critic is a great choice for someone who enjoys different types of food and has a passion for writing. To become one, you’ll need to be open to trying lots of different foods so you’re familiar with various cooking styles and can talk about them. You could also start a food blog so you can post your own reviews to use on your resume. Since food criticism is a competitive career path, you’ll probably need to complete a bachelor’s degree in English or journalism to develop a high quality level of writing. You can also hone your writing skills by reading other food critics’ work to learn from their style. When you start looking for jobs, apply for entry writing positions, which are helpful for building experience. Later, pitch ideas for food articles to your city’s local magazine or newspaper, or online food publications. For tips on how to get a writing internship, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "This guide to being a food critic was easy to follow. It was kept short and sweet, and gave some very helpful tips on how to be successful as a food critic. The only thing I feel I would struggle with is being good at cooking myself. When it comes to the kitchen, I am so damn inept. Is it required to be able to cook, or just recommended?" ..." more
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"This guide to being a food critic was easy to follow. It was kept short and sweet, and gave some very helpful tips on how to be successful as a food critic. The only thing I feel I would struggle with is being good at cooking myself. When it comes to the kitchen, I am so damn inept. Is it required to be able to cook, or just recommended?"
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"The nine steps helped immensely. I went for supper tonight and couldn't help but pick apart the food, the service, and even the attitudes and energy of the staff members. There were pros and cons to all but this helped a lot. I'm such a good food critic."
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"This article is quite informative and gives good tips on how to become a food critic."
