Dianne Jacob, Will Write For Food

Useful Tips, Interviews, and Stories to Inspire Food Writers and Bloggers

Ethics

Writing to Help Struggling Restaurants

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image for post on writing to help struggling restaurantsA guest post by Anna Mindess

Like many freelance writers, I lost work when the pandemic hit. My articles were cancelled or postponed. A magazine that I contributed to regularly went out of business. There was so much uncertainty. I felt useless. But today, it’s different. I feel inspired and empowered. I’ve put myself on a path to help struggling restaurants. This focus has become one of the most satisfying projects I have ever undertaken as a writer.

It started when I saw award-winning cookbook author Grace Young’s Instagram challenge in conjunction with the James Beard Foundation, called #SaveChineseRestaurants. Given the dismal picture of scores of Chinese restaurants closing, especially mom and pop spots, Young asked followers to [Read more…] about Writing to Help Struggling Restaurants

How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation in Food Writing

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Image for post on cultural appropriationA guest post by Nandita Godbole

Recipe writers and content creators frequently struggle to understand cultural appropriation. To some, cultural appropriation challenges the old ways of doing things. Others wonder why food writers lose their jobs over it. They question why it is important. Is it?

Here’s my understanding of cultural appropriation and how to avoid it as a food writer: 

1. First of all, what is cultural appropriation?

Wikipedia describes cultural appropriation as “The adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity.” For me, it also means [Read more…] about How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation in Food Writing

When the Social Media Attack Comes from Inside the House

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gif for post about social media attackBy Deborah Reid

Count your blessings if you’ve never been the target of a social media attack. I’ve been through that fire. Because sometimes I write about sexism and bros culture in the restaurant business, I expect it to happen again. “No one with a public platform and an opinion is doing his or her job effectively if they are not being attacked from time to time,” writes songwriter Nick Cave in his brilliant weekly Q&A newsletter, The Red Hand Files.

The universality of the experience can be hard to recall in the middle of an online ambush by strangers. It all feels so personal. But when it comes from a [Read more…] about When the Social Media Attack Comes from Inside the House

How to Support Black Lives in Food

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An image for Black lives in food.A guest post by Adrian Miller

I’ve been trying to figure out my role in being someone who can create a shared future for black lives in food. It’s a future where we have racial justice and so many other forms of justice that are needed.

I’ve always maintained that if we’re ever going to get a breakthrough on race, white people need to work this out amongst themselves. Because no matter what I say or whatever [Read more…] about How to Support Black Lives in Food

We Can’t Write Off Business Meals Anymore

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image of write off business meals

1/29/19 This post has been updated. See Yes, You Can Still Write Off Business Meals.

Whenever I mention to a colleague that we can no longer write off business meals, they stop and stare at me. Then they say, “What?” like they must not have heard me right.

But it’s true. All those restaurant meals you enjoy with fellow food bloggers, cookbook authors, recipe developers, chefs you know, etc. are no longer eligible for [Read more…] about We Can’t Write Off Business Meals Anymore

Diverse Identities are Central to Food Writing, says Nik Sharma

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In his blog and in print, Nik Sharma writes about growing up in the United States and India, and what he loves to cook and bake. He also writes about his diverse identities: life as an immigrant and married gay man. He does it all with grace and [Read more…] about Diverse Identities are Central to Food Writing, says Nik Sharma