The Food Section: Appetizers

Insatiably Downsized

The New York Times weighs in on New York magazine's unceremonious dismissal of Gael Greene. Note to aspiring restaurant critics: Greene's salary was reportedly only $50,000 after 40 years working for the magazine.

Washington Post Retracts Restaurant Review Over Conflict of Interest

Corrections: Washington Post Retracts Restaurant Review [Eater]

Cliffs Notes for Michael Pollan's Letter to the Next President

Pollan's Proposals [ruhlman.com]

NYT Magazine: The Food Issue

This Sunday's New York Times Magazine is all about food, opening with a letter by Michael Pollan to the next "farmer-in-chief" and featuring Mark Bittman on taking food seriously, William Safire on "locavorism," and Christine Muhlke on Kenny Shopsin.

The Food Issue [New York Times Magazine]

Per Se Tops Zagat Survey

Thomas Keller's Per Se was voted New York's number one restaurant in the 2009 ZAGAT restaurant survey. David Chang's Momofuku Ko was top among new restaurants.

The survey documented a decline in restaurant openings (the first time since 2003) and "downsizing" by diners who are eating in less expensive places, being more attentive to menu prices, skipping appetizers or dessert, and cutting back on alcohol. Meanwhile, the average cost of a meal in New York City rose to $40.78, a 3.3% increase over last year.

ZAGAT'S 2009 NYC RESTAURANT SURVEY FINDS NEW YORKERS ARE DOWNSIZING DINING OUT [ZAGAT]

Michelin Releases 2009 Guide for New York City

Michelin today released its 2009 restaurant and hotel guide for New York City.

The new edition contains 563 restaurants, including more than than 80 new additions. Among the highlights: Masa joins Jean-Georges, Le Bernardin and Per Se as a Michelin three-star selection; Adour, Gilt and Momofuku Ko join the ranks of Michelin two-star restaurants; Allen & Delancey, Alto, eighty one, Fiamma, Insieme, Kyo Ya and Public join the Michelin one-star selections.

New Michelin Stars Shine on New York City [Michelin Media]

Hearst, MSN Launch "Delish"

Another mega-food site? Hearst Magazines and MSN have launched their new food website, Delish. The site is owned, built and edited by Hearst Magazines Digital Media and distributed by MSN. The site claims that its traffic places it "into the top 10 food-related destinations online."

Pairings: Wine and News

Oddly enough, the Wall Street Journal is getting into the wine-selling business (wsjwine.com).

The Twittering Critic

Weird: the music's BETTER in the men's room. Todd Kliman may have changed restaurant criticism forever with his "live" stream-of-consciousness review (via Twitter) of Alain Ducasse's Adour. Via Grub Street.

From Cable to Print

Hearst Magazines and the Food Network have announced they are partnering to create the Food Network Magazine. The first issue will debut on October 14. Maile Carpenter, formerly of Every Day with Rachael Ray and Time Out New York, is the magazine's editor-in-chief.

Get Schooled

The Institute for Culinary Education has launched the Center for Food Media, a program of academic courses for aspiring food writers, publicists, TV personalities, and -- who would of thunk it -- bloggers.

Another Mega-Food Site

Hearst and Microsoft are teaming up to create Delish.com, a potential challenger to Conde Nast's epicurious.

Join the Club

Gourmet.com kicks off its monthly cookbook club with Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore's Fish Without a Doubt.

Bon Appetit Relaunch

"The BA Blog" has its last day today, replaced by "Project Recipe" and Bon Appetit's swanky, more user-friendly redesign.

Food Blog Talk

At the FN Dish, the The Amateur Gourmet's gig at the Food Network, celebrity makeup artist and blogging expert (who knew?) Jay Manuel tells you how to create a food blog, and Ed Levine of Serious Eats, Amanda Kludt of eater, and Luisa Weiss of The Wednesday Chef, talk about their passion for food blogging.

Hesser Corrects the Record

Food writer and editor Amanda Hesser sets New York magazine straight about her decision to leave the New York Times and sheds some light on her move into the digital arena. Her new project, Seawinkle, is aimed at "help[ing] people deal with the overwhelming amount of digital information they create."

Amanda Hesser Eyes Internet

Food writer Amanda Hesser tells Mediabistro that she is departing the New York Times to pursue an online venture that has nothing to do with food or journalism: "It's a so-called 'digital life aggregator,' a concept that sounds forbidding but isn't."

A Conversation About Criticism

Paul Levy and Mimi Sheraton, former New York Times restaurant critic, discuss the importance of anonymity in reviewing restaurants and differences between restaurant criticism in Europe and the U.S.

Restaurant Critic Vindicated

A Belfast court has overturned a jury's decision to award libel damages against the Irish News for a scathing pizzeria review that appeared in 2000. The newspaper had originally been ordered to pay damages to Goodfellas pizzeria in west Belfast following a negative review by critic Caroline Workman.

Bittman Unplugged

"Minimalist" Mark Bittman recounts his efforts to take a "secular Sabbath" and be free of technology for one day a week.

Dept. of Corrections

Contrary to Maureen Dowd's column today, Blue Moon is not an imported beer. The Belgian-style white beer is actually brewed by Coors. Related: Beer makers get crafty.

Bittman Blogs

The New York Times has launched Bitten, a new food blog penned by Mark Bittman and oriented towards home cooking.

Food Network in Print?

Portfolio is reporting that Hearst is developing a new food magazine to be published in partnership with the Food Network. Via yumsugar.

Regulating Wine Journalism

A French court has ruled that newspaper articles on wines should be subject to the same health and safety guidelines as alcohol advertising and display health warnings.

New Look for Bon Appétit

Bon Appétit is changing it's logo and look to capture younger readers: "Think of it in fashion terms: We've simply changed and freshened our lipstick, or, perhaps, traded in our pair of sensible shoes for something a little more stylish," writes editor-in-chief Barbara Fairchild. Related: A critique of the magazine, and a critique of the critique.

BataliWatch

Finally, all of your Mario Batali news and gossip in one place: Mario Batali Celebrity Rumors.

Dining with Frank Bruni

The Amateur Gourmet blogs his dinner with the New York Times restaurant critic.

Kimball v. Food Mags

Cook's Illustrated's Christopher Kimball takes a swipe at Thanksgiving coverage in the food glossies: "The editors at the other food magazines write for their friends and themselves. They feel compelled to do something different every year because they're bored. People want mainstream American cooking, and that's what we give them."

Ramsay v. Critics

Chef Gordon Ramsay lays into food critics, taking the New York Times' Frank Bruni to task: "When I got panned by the New York Times, to think that the critic was on the phone 24 hours later asking me to tell him what was inside the dish. If you don't know what you're criticising, then don't write about it."

East Coast Bias?

Writing on his blog, San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer asserts that food coverage tends to be biased towards the East Coast.

Food Blogs: Good or Bad for Restaurants?

ABC News reports on the sometimes combative relationship between restaurants and food bloggers.

Meaty Mag

Introducing Meatpaper, a "print magazine of art and ideas about meat." Why meat, you ask? "At once divisive and universal, delicious and disturbing, funny and dead-serious, meat polarizes us unlike any other food; it’s the Hillary Clinton of the freezer aisle." Via megnut.

Dining by Digg

The creators of Digg plan to move into filtering restaurant reviews.

Insatiable Critic

New York magazine's Gael Greene launches insatiable-critic.com, her "virtual kitchen & banquette." Via eater.

New Blog on the Block

The UK-based Guardian Unlimited and Observer Food Monthly have joined the food blogging fray with their new blog, Word of Mouth. "We hope it will become a lively and unpretentious meeting place to kick around the gastronomical issues of the day," writes editor Susan Smillie. Via np.

The New Food Journalism

The Columbia Journalism Review explores the trend towards food writing concerned with the political and ethical implications of food production and consumption. Via tmn.

Time Launches Recipe Site

Time Inc., publisher of Cooking Light, Southern Living, and Sunset magazines, has launched a new food portal, MyRecipes.com, boasting more than 25,000 recipes.

Picture Perfect?

New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni questions the deceptiveness of restaurant photos published by the media and blogs. His case in point is a bright, airy image of the new Belgian eatery Resto in New York magazine. Compare it with a pic from UrbanDaddy.

"The Bruni Effect"

The New York Observer considers the impact of a bad review by New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni.

Beard Awards for Journalism

The James Beard Foundation has announced its 2007 awards for media. The San Francisco Chronicle won for best newspaper food section and Leite's Culinaria took the prize for best website.

Bauer v. Richman

San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer takes GQ's Alan Richman to task for his "utterly ridiculous" characterization of the Bay Area's contribution to gastronomy ("Alice Waters and sourdough bread aside, the Bay Area has contributed surprisingly little to the culinary ripening of America"): "It was either an ill-timed brain dump, or he's so engrossed in turning out stylish prose that a turn of phrase supersedes truth." Via se.

Ramsay Bites Back

The celebrity chef lets loose about McDonalds, Marco Pierre White, and food critics, singling out Frank Bruni of the New York Times for his ire: "'The fat, lazy thing about Frank Bruni was all the little seedy, undercover blog bullshit,' says Ramsay. 'I don't give two fucks about it. Never have; never met the guy; not even remotely interested. I'm being judged on my persona as opposed to my food, and you know what? Fuck it.'"

Bite Size

The New York Times launches Dining Briefs, a new roundup of Tables for Two-ish sized restaurant reviews for "places around New York City that are worth consideration even if they don't receive a full review."

Food Critic Wins a Pulitzer

LA Weekly food critic Jonathan Gold has won a Pulitzer prize, becoming the first food critic to capture journalism's highest honor. "The Pulitzer Prize is something that, when you're a food writer, you don't even dream about," he said. "Maybe it means they won't fire me this year."

Imus Fallout Spreads to Salad Dressing

In the wake of the Don Imus scandal, the Big Y supermarket chain is pulling Imus Ranch salad dressing from its shelves.

Gordon Ramsay: "Most Admired Man"

A survey of British men by the UK edition of Esquire finds that chef Gordon Ramsay is the country's "mosty admired man." Professor Stephen Hawking came in second.

Top Toques

Food & Wine unveils its annual list of "Best New Chefs."

Beard Bound

The James Beard Foundation has announced the chef, restaurant, journalism, and cookbook nominees for the 2007 James Beard Awards (download a PDF with all the details).

Bruni's Last Meal

New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni contemplates his last meal: lots of toro, a fat steak, some pasta with truffles, and hard liquor for dessert.

Steak, Sex, and Objectification

Media: Critics of Frank Bruni's steak and sex review raise questions about the objectification of women (cf. Eat Drink One Woman and the National Review).

Bourdain on Bruni/Chodorow

Media: Anthony Bourdain joins the Chodorow/Bruni fray: "One might ask if it's ever a good idea anyway to spend 40,000 bucks reminding the public that the New York Times think you suck."

Bruni Banned

Media: In the latest chapter of Chodorow v. Bruni, the restaurateur/bounty hunter tells the New York Post that Frank Bruni has been banned from all of his 29 restaurants. What's more, any person who spots Bruni at a Chodorow eatery will win a free trip to the Caribbean.

Chodorow V. Bruni: Mimi Sheraton Weighs In

Media: Former New York Times restaurant critic Mimi Sheraton weighs in on Chodorow v. Bruni: "Chodorow, of course, was an idiot to have run such an ad." Via eater.

Bruni Speaks

Media: Frank Bruni defends his Kobe Club review to the New York Sun, citing no "personal grudge" against Jeffrey Chodorow.

Chodorow Speaks

Media: Jeffrey Chodorow defends his epistolary stab at the New York Times: "Restaurateurs have no outlets. Where do we publish our commentaries?"

Chodorow Strikes Back

Media: Unhappy with the zero star review of his steakhouse, Kobe Club, restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow buys a full-page ad (pdf) striking back at New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. Via Gawker.

NYT Diner's Journal Becomes a Group Blog

Online: Diner's Journal, until now exclusively the voice of New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni, will begin to also feature contributions from other NYT Dining section staff.

Saveur Redesigns

Media: Saveur magazine (finally) redesigns its website.

Food & Wine Blogs

Media: Food & Wine launches two blogs: Tasting Room, a wine blog by senior wine editor Ray Isle, and Mouthing Off, a food blog by the magazine's editors.

Bruni to Ramsay: Nothing Personal

Media: New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni defends his recent two-star review of Gordon Ramsay at the London as nothing personal: "I don't know the man; I have no personal feelings about him. I characterised his public image, that's all."

Frannie Von Furstinshow

Media: New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni dons the identity of "Frannie Von Furstinshow" and pens an email  to Graydon Carter reviewing the Waverly Inn.

AP on Eater

Media: The Associated Press profiles eater co-founders Ben Leventhal and Lockhart Steele, "a pair of bloggers fighting a guerrilla war against the city's publicists."

Why Pigs?

Media: Why are food writers so obsessed with pigs?

Rise of the L.A. Food Blogs

Media: The Los Angeles Times tracks the proliferation of L.A.-based food blogs -- some focusing on restaurant gossip, others on recipes.

Bruni on Bruni

Media: Contrary to rumors, New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni says he isn't leaving anytime soon...unless Hollywood calls, that is.

Chef Glossies

Media: Chefs Laurent Tourondel and David Burke, among others, are publishing glossy magazines rich with luxury advertising.

Richman Reaction

Media: In the New York Times, Kim Severson reports on the reaction in New Orleans to restaurant critic Alan Richman's takedown of the city in GQ: "People here despise FEMA, insurance companies and anyone who has anything to do with levees. But in a city with postal service so spotty that delivery of a magazine is cause for a party, a magazine writer from New York has moved to the top of the New Orleans hate list."

Pete Wells, James Oseland Talk

Media: Pete Wells, the new editor of the New York Times dining section, and James Oseland, the new editor-in-chief of Saveur, discuss their new roles, the definition of food media, and the rise of celebrity chefs (mp3).

Ramsay v. Bruni

Media: The Guardian introduces Britons to New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni, "the man who can spoil Gordon's NY party."

Danny Meyer Musings

Media: Eater invites comments on Meyer's revelation that he traded food for stars at Blue Smoke. Would his restaurant have earned two stars without freebies? Or is royal treatment for restaurant critics par for the course?

Alan Richman: Journalist, Jackass, or Penis?

Media: Critic Alan Richman's survey of the post-Katrina New Orleans restaurant scene inspires a backlash in the blogosphere (cf. "Alan Richman is a Penis"; "How to Cook a Jackass").

Of Wine and Models

Media: Novelist Jay McInerney on wine writing: "I love writing about wine. It's like being paid to date models."

Zagat Survey dinner tabs don't add up

Media: In the New York Post, Steve Cuozzo writes that the Zagat Survey's listings of dinner tabs just don't add up: "[M]any figures given as the 'average estimate of the price of a dinner with one drink and tip' at specific restaurants still seem more like cheapest-case scenarios than averages -- if not utter flights of fancy."

Food Writers: Just Say No

Media: Food writers talk about the stories they won't write.

Rules for Restaurant Critics

Media: New York magazine's Adam Platt (a.k.a. "The Gobbler") offers 10 rules for restaurant critics to avoid being spotted: "Disguises may work for certain ninja-style stealth experts (like Ruth Reichl) but not for the majority of restaurant critics -- and certainly not for the Gobbler, who is balding and big as a house."

Headline of the Week

Media: Headline of the week: "Man Drinks Beer; Panda Bites Man; Man Bites Back".

Food Arts Website

Media: Culinary industry mag Food Arts launches a new website. Via eGullet.

More on Wells

Media: More details trickle in about the imminent editorial transition at the New York Times: Bacon's reports that Pete Wells will begin serving as Dining editor on October 9.

New at New York Magazine

Media: New York magazine debuts a revamped online food section, including Grub Street, a blog "covering everything from the cult street vendor, nameless yet venerated, to the latest temple of gastronomy, awash in renown."

Breaking: Pete Wells Named Editor of Times Dining Section

Media: Eater reports that Details senior editor and Food & Wine columnist Pete Wells has been named editor of the New York Times Dining In/Dining Out section.

Bruni's Exercise Habits

Media: New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni reflects on the balancing act between exercise and eating. Via eater.

Richman versus Shanken

Media: GQ's Alan Richman calls out Wine Spectator's Marvin Shanken for tipping cheap on wine: "I've never thought of the Wine Spectator as a gutsy magazine, but Shanken is one gutsy guy. He basically confessed to being The Most Mean-Spirited Wine Magazine Owner on Earth." Via gawker.

Colman Andrews Lands at Gourmet

Media: Colman Andrews, formerly of Saveur, moves to Gourmet.

Editorial Shuffle at Saveur

Media: James Oseland is promoted to editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine, replacing Colman A