How to write a food

review?

Journalism 2011

The job of a food reviewer is to accurately convey the tastes, textures, smells, presentation and enjoy-ability of food eaten at a

restaurant.

The Job of a food reviewer

Be Willing to try new foods. If not, writing food reviews is not going to be a good pastime or career for you.

Be adventurous as a diner. Try exotic foods that aren’t typical in the U.S.

Be open minded. Remember, food can be pretty creative.

You can’t be too obvious because you don’t want the restaurant to know you are reviewing.

Consider how you will record the experience.

Pay attention to details of what your table and the restaurant looks like, sounds like.

Assess the table set up before you begin the meal.

Order a broad range Order food that gives as broad an experience as possible of the menu in front of you.

Order an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

Ask for the waiter’s recommendations.

Pay attention to what other people are eating.

Assess as you eat.

• The presentation - clean, beautiful or messy and tired?

• The temperature - was the warm meal warm or was it cold?

• The level of cooking - was the food cooked to perfection, under cooked

Ask questions Things to try and discern include:

Does the waiting staff know their food and ingredients? Do they know where the fish was caught, whether the vegetables are organic, whether the beef was grain-fed?

How do they respond if you make a compliment or a complaint?

Are they able to recommend wine to accompany the meal?

Consider the ambiance. Does it seem that people are enjoying themselves?

Or is the restaurant emptying quickly or not filling up at all?

Consider overall presentation of the place and the friendliness of staff.

Talk about the food! While it’s important to consider ambiance, staff, comfort, cleanliness, etc., it’s most vital to talk about the food!

Describe it. What are your observations eating it?

Don’t exaggerate Did you like something? Did you not like something? We want to know, and the more vivid the description, the better for those of us who may not know what the place is like.

But don't overdo it, either. I'm not going to believe it if you tell me that a certain menu item tastes like blood.

More opinions, fewer facts There's nothing wrong with telling us what's on the menu at any restaurant. There is something wrong, however, if you don't give us your opinions on those menu items, even if it's as simple as "I haven't tried this before." In the days of the Internet, it's pretty simple to just go to any restaurant's website to see what they offer.

Enjoy the food and get writing.