March 2010
Food Journalism Today
Chicago journalist Michael Nagrant of hungrymag.com visited with the Chicago Women in Publishing group at Kendall College on Wednesday night, March 17. A man possessed of an off-the-wall sense of humor and a love of the culinary arts, Nagrant took CWIP’s members on a humorous tour of food journalism today. For Nagrant the writing started early, but the affair with food came later, after a visit to one of California's finest eateries. It changed the way he looks at food and since then, he’s never looked back.
Writers develop their own individual processes. When asked about his, Nagrant said he thinks of it as his craft, “the more you do it, the better you get.” And that’s good advice for aspiring chefs as well. Nagrant points out another similarity between chefs and those that write about them--both appreciate feedback.
As with other types of journalism, persistence is key. You have to be willing to put in the time and look for your opportunities. You also need to be able to handle rejection. There will be a lot of it, especially for those just starting out. Ethics play a key role for the responsible food journalist. While it might be tempting to hang out with your favorite chefs and take advantage of the freebies, keep in mind that any good food writer has to remain objective to get that “true” restaurant experience. You need to protect your anonymity.
There are opportunities here for those willing to do the work, as the demand for good content is high. Nagrant reminded the group that it’s not just about the food. Enjoying a great meal does involve the food, but also the people, atmosphere, and essence of a place are important.
As with everybody else, publishers are being asked to do more with less. They are, in turn, asking writers to do more for less. The offset for the writer can be that they may receive more flexibility in how they approach their assignment. And, writers might be wise to be flexible with the media – magazines, books, web, etc. – that they are targeting for publication.
Bon appétit!
Lynette Winegarner is a new CWIP member looking to reconnect with her editorial roots after a stint with the Museum of Science and Industry. She can be reached at lwinegarner@comcast.net.