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Dianne Jacob, Will Write For Food

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

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Restaurant Reviewing

RIP Jonathan Gold

July 23, 2018 by diannejacob 16 Comments

If you haven’t already, please watch this documentary about Jonathan Gold and his passion for the people and restaurants of L.A. It’s a love letter to them, but also to the man himself.

Yes it’s true: Los Angeles food critic Jonathan Gold, the only person to win a Pulizer as a food writer, died this past weekend, of pancreatic cancer.

He was only 57. The Los Angeles Times reported his death and lifted its paywall so you can explore his writing and tributes.

I have a few things to say about Jonathan Gold, before I get to his writing:

1. Maybe you’ve never heard of him, but I was in awe. In 2004, I was too intimidated to interview him for the first edition of Will Write for Food. It was because I [Read more…] about RIP Jonathan Gold

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviewing Tagged With: Jonathan Gold, writing about restaurants

Restaurant Critics Respond to Sexual Harassment

February 20, 2018 by diannejacob Leave a Comment

As allegations of harassment or assault by chefs and restaurateurs in the food industry surface, where does this leave the critic, whose job has been — traditionally — to write about food, service and decor? How do restaurant critics respond?

I bet many restaurant reviewers — and their editors — have lost sleep over their changing roles.

And that’s great! People in our industry should wrestle with sexism, power and abuse. These are the issues of today, not just [Read more…] about Restaurant Critics Respond to Sexual Harassment

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviewing Tagged With: food critics, restaurant reviewers, the role of a food critic, the sexual harassment scandals at restaurants

I Met a Yelp Elite Reviewer and He Changed My Mind

February 6, 2018 by diannejacob 6 Comments

Image for post on Yelp Elite ReviewerI was prepared to not like him. After all, Yelp restaurant reviewers singlehandedly ended the careers of many restaurant reviewers by writing for free, right? That’s what a friend said, who was once a professional critic.

And what did this guy know about writing a good review, I wondered? Not to mention, who gets to be Elite and what does that mean? A free meal?

To find out, I called Chris Sladky, 29, a Yelp Elite reviewer and software product manager, to interview him. Then he suggested meeting him for lunch. I had not [Read more…] about I Met a Yelp Elite Reviewer and He Changed My Mind

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviewing Tagged With: amateur reviews, Restaurant Reviewing, writing online reviews, Yelp restaurant reviews

Former Restaurant Reviewer Says Reviews are Irrelevant

May 30, 2017 by diannejacob 2 Comments

Todd Kliman doesn’t miss being a restaurant reviewer.

“It becomes tiresome after a while to eat lavish food,” he explains. “No matter where you go, everything’s plated the same way and it starts feeling like you’re in this very strange little bubble. You’re [Read more…] about Former Restaurant Reviewer Says Reviews are Irrelevant

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviewing Tagged With: restaurant criticism, restaurant critics, Restaurant Reviewing, Todd Kliman

“Memoir Has to Risk Something,” says John Birdsall

August 30, 2016 by diannejacob 18 Comments

John-Birdsall

Food writer John Birdsall has won two James Beard Foundation awards for intensely personal essays.

A few years ago, I went outside my comfort zone. I contacted a stranger and asked to meet.

The stranger was John Birdsall, now a double James-Beard winning writer and essayist. At that time he was a restaurant reviewer for a local newspaper here in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I loved his restaurant reviews.

John has since moved on to narrative non-fiction or personal essays, often about the intersection of gay culture and food. I know he’s already won awards and was published in prestigious places, but I feel like he’s just getting started and has so much more to offer us.

Here’s his take on restaurant writing, personal essay writing, and taking risks. He also has good insights about his former writing and the role of an editor. I asked him to write his answers (rather than me interviewing him), so you can get a sense of his style:

Q. How does your background as a restaurant and catering cook influence your food writing? Do you believe that people who write about food should have professional experience or culinary training?

A. For a long time I didn’t think it did: Cooking seemed a prelude disconnected from [Read more…] about “Memoir Has to Risk Something,” says John Birdsall

Filed Under: Memoir, Restaurant Reviewing Tagged With: John Birdsall, narrative food writing, restaurant criticism, Restaurant Reviewing, writing food-based essays

What Happened When I Approached Jonathan Gold

April 12, 2016 by diannejacob 41 Comments

DJ-JGold-IACP.2016

Scott Warner snapped this shot of me and the affable Jonathan Gold, restaurant critic of the Los Angeles Times, as our talk began.

When I walked up, Jonathan Gold stood talking with a small group of food writers. It was after his keynote presentation at the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) annual conference in Hollywood, CA, and I was late for a session. I didn’t care. One of my food writing idols seemed to be available in the cavernous ballroom.

How often does that happen? At IACP, quite often. If you’ve been to their conferences, you probably remember when Julia Child and Jaques Pepin [Read more…] about What Happened When I Approached Jonathan Gold

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviewing Tagged With: City of Gold, food writing, IACP conference, Jonathan Gold, Restaurant Reviewing

Local Food Writers Dis Dallas Restaurant Critic

January 27, 2015 by diannejacob 29 Comments

Award-winning critic Leslie Brenner of the Dallas Morning News has taken a lot of flack, but she’s still smiling.

Award-winning writer Leslie Brenner of the Dallas Morning News has taken a lot of flack for her reviews, but she’s still smiling.

Have you heard about the hard time restaurant critic Leslie Brenner has been getting in Dallas?

I didn’t know about it until I read this article in the Washington Post, which said at least 10 Dallas restaurants planned to ban the Dallas Morning News critic, refusing to take her money. They also planned to refuse interviews, stop allowing [Read more…] about Local Food Writers Dis Dallas Restaurant Critic

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviewing Tagged With: chefs blasting restaurant critics, Dallas Morning News, harassment on social media, Leslie Brenner, restaurant criticism, restaurant critics

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Will Write for Food 2022


Will Write For Food 2022


IACP Member of the Year 2022


Will Write For Food 2022


Will Write For Food 2020


Best Essay 2016


2016 Grand Prize
MFK Fisher Award
for Best Essay


Will Write For Food 2016


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Will Write For Food 2010


Best Essay 2007


Will Write For Food 2005

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