How to be a Restaurant Examiner without going broke

Here are the six basic story concepts for Restaurant Examiners and associated costs … note that only one
will typically cost you money.

1.) Reviews (costly): Because of the inherent nature and definition of a “review” (honest, unbiased
reporting of a restaurant,) this kind of story will always cost money since you should be picking
up the tab. That said, we don’t ask that you go out of your way to do reviews. We all out to eat–
that is why we are Restaurant Examiners . Use those instances when your plans already involve
a restaurant to write reviews—if you are going out with friends, take a bit of their plates so you
can sample many flavors.
a. Keep in mind that it’s important not to compromise your integrity and lose your readers’
trust, so whenever doing a review, be honest.
b. Also in line with credibility, be fair. As Restaurant Examiners, you don’t have the same
luxury of going to a restaurant 3 or 4 times before writing a review a NY Times
restaurant reviewer might have. Be careful not to completely trash a restaurant if
you’ve only been there once—if you’ve had bad service, ask yourself: Is this a one-time
thing, or an off night?
c. Remember to save your receipts. If you itemize your taxes, you can write these meals
off.
2.) Basic Restaurant Profiles (basically free): Use your existing knowledge about the restaurants in
your area to write some profiles on restaurants. These are more about.com-style articles that
break down the meat and potatoes of what a particular restaurant is about. You don’t need to
tell the reader the food is fantastic or the service is great, just give them a basic overview: menu
prices, hours, location, type of restaurant, etc. Keep the headlines simple “NY restaurant
profiles: XXXXX.” Anytime you mention a restaurant that you have already profiled, link the first
reference to your profile. Use your past dining experiences, research from the web and other
resources you can find.
3.) Event Stories (free, with the chance of comped tickets): Events are a really simple thing to
cover without having to do much leg work. If you know of a place that does wine tastings, let
your readers know when and where. If a restaurant is holding a non-profit event, buffet night,
etc., write a short, fact-based article for your readers on when and where to go if they’d like to
attend.
a. If you want to go a step further and attend an event, call up the restaurant ahead of
time—you’ll great information about the event beforehand, and often, they’ll invite you
to attend. Always be clear on your intentions though; don’t let a chef or GM assume
you’ll be writing a favorable review in exchange for a free ticket to an event. You are
there to write about what you see; readers need to respect that. In the same vein, never
assume you’ll be getting a comped meal or event ticket. Always be prepared to pay full
price, just in case.
b. Newsy stories work here, too. Openings, closings, new menus? Introduce yourself to the
local restaurant association to make sure you are on their email lists.
4.) Q & A Interview (free): These are a great way to introduce yourself to influential or well-
respected people in your community’s restaurant scene. Find a local chef who is doing
something unique, or interview the owner of a new restaurant in town. These kinds of
interviews can be done really quickly via email format or over the phone, but it’s also great to
invite them to lunch at their restaurant for a chat.
a. Tips: Come up with a unique angle for your story—chefs and industry workers are likely
to get more excited about an interview if they’re not being asked the same old
questions (The anatomy of a $42 steak from a reputable steakhouse, a feature on the
homegrown produce). Again, if you’re having a lunch interview, don’t assume your meal
will be comped, and always expect to pick up the tab. If the chef does pay for your meal,
let your readers. You’re not necessarily reviewing the food in this case, so it won’t hurt
your credibility. Be aware of the time; never ask for a chef during lunch (usually 11:30-
1:30p.m.) or dinner (4:30-7:30p.m.) rushes. Catch them during prep time.
5.) General Lists (free): Again, pull on your knowledge from years of going out to eat in your town.
What are three great places to get great home-style comfort food? What are some places with
great patios, or the restaurants with the most authentic Italian cuisine? Write a brief intro to the
topic at hand (great seasonal menus), then list three or four restaurants with a brief two
sentence bio and the address, web link and phone number.
6.) Food line-ups: If a particular restaurant has a great type of food, call and set up a tasting. Come
up with a good, solid theme beforehand (i.e. dessert tasting,) and bring a camera. Note that this
type of story takes more savvy and credibility to arrange. Feel free to spread it out over several
restaurants (The great lasagna tasteing). Get your feet wet with the other story concepts before
trying this. If you’re lucky enough to live in an edition where we have a Restaurant Photography
Examiner, bring him or her along.