Our Restaurant Critics Dish

Overview

This episode dives into the evolving role of restaurant critics, featuring insights from Ligaya Mishan and Tejal Rao, the new restaurant critics at The New York Times. They discuss their career paths, the changing landscape of food criticism, the challenges of maintaining anonymity, and the impact of their reviews on restaurants and communities.

Notable Quotes

- Spam is a great flavoring agent. - Ligaya Mishan, on her controversial food take.

- Sometimes I want to tell people, go here, but be cool. Can you just be chill? - Tejal Rao, on the unintended consequences of spotlighting small restaurants.

- My appetite is the only thing limiting me. I would do more meals in the day if I could. - Tejal Rao, on the challenges of being a restaurant critic.

🍽️ Becoming a Restaurant Critic

- Ligaya Mishan shared her unconventional journey, growing up in Honolulu with a practical view of food as sustenance rather than gourmet art. Her career began with book reviews at The New Yorker before transitioning to restaurant reviews.

- Tejal Rao grew up in a food-obsessed family, moving across continents and developing a passion for cooking and collecting recipes. She worked in restaurant kitchens before writing for publications like Time Out and Edible Brooklyn, eventually becoming a critic at the Village Voice.

🕵️‍♀️ The End of Anonymity in Food Criticism

- Both critics discussed the shift away from anonymity, noting that it was often an agreed-upon fiction as restaurants would recognize critics despite their efforts to remain incognito.

- Ligaya Mishan emphasized the importance of building trust and relationships with readers by being open about their identities.

- Tejal Rao noted that while they still attempt to visit restaurants anonymously, being recognized occasionally doesn’t significantly impact their reviews.

🌎 Expanding Beyond New York City

- The critics are now tasked with reviewing restaurants across the U.S., reflecting the diverse culinary landscape of the country.

- Tejal Rao, based in Los Angeles, highlighted the importance of exploring restaurants nationwide to tell a complete story of America’s food culture.

- Ligaya Mishan emphasized the need to visit both cities and small towns to understand the broader narrative of American dining.

🍴 The Life of a Restaurant Critic

- Both critics detailed their routines, which involve balancing multiple meals, researching, and scouting new restaurants.

- Tejal Rao prefers skipping breakfast to save her appetite for later meals, often doing bang-bang dinners (early and late).

- Ligaya Mishan shared her strategy of eating small bites during meals and balancing indulgence with exercise and lighter meals on off days.

💬 The Power and Responsibility of Reviews

- Tejal Rao explained her approach to negative reviews, emphasizing that they should be reserved for newsworthy establishments that fail to deliver on their promises, rather than smaller, independent businesses.

- Both critics acknowledged the potential impact of their reviews, from boosting a restaurant’s popularity to inadvertently causing challenges like increased rents or overwhelming demand.

- Ligaya Mishan reflected on the delicate balance of spotlighting restaurants while being mindful of their ability to handle the attention.