If you’re a self-proclaimed foodie (read: all of us at Taste of Home), being a food critic sounds like a dream job. Seriously, what’s not to like about frequenting the best restaurants in America, eating all different kinds of food and sharing thoughts about your dining experience? We consulted with some real food critics and restaurant reviewers to see what their job description really entails.
They Might Visit Up to 10 Restaurants Per Day
Some food critics set ambitious goals that extend way past the traditional three meals per day. “If I’m traveling, or on a road trip to review restaurants, I’ll go to 5 to 10 restaurants in a day,” says Michael Stern, co-author of Roadfood: An Eater’s Guide to More Than 1,000 of the Best Local Hot Spots and Hidden Gems Across America and co-founder of Roadfood.com.
“Needless to say, I can’t have 10 full meals in one day,” he adds, “so oftentimes, I’ll just have a few bites of food at each restaurant—that’s the goal, especially early in the day.”
Some Don’t Write Any Negative Reviews
We’ve all read a cringe-worthy review about a product or place before, but there are actually food critics out there who keep their unfavorable opinions to themselves. “I don’t do negative reviews,” says Stern. “I write about places that I like, and that’s that.” Good news for cooks who want to bring restaurant dishes home, these copycat recipes have rave reviews.