[AllanMcPherson]

I'm not sure if this is the best place ask, but here we go anyway!

I know there are some food journalists around here. I was wondering what kind of editorial/professional standards you adhere to. At the restaurant I work at we've had some downright weird experiences recently.

We've had some good press recently. Nothing to complain about there. Except for the inaccuracies. One example was a very positive review where the reviewer completely misidentified items on his plate (to the pointing of mentioning his dislike for a veg. that we don't even serve!). No big deal on its own.

More recently we have been included in a cookbook. This book is part of series of themed cookbooks (by ingredient, or course) featuring recipes from Canada's "top" chefs. They are published by a very prominent Canadian publishing house. And our entry is all wrong.

The recipe is not one of ours. It is not even close to something we would do. The Chef identified as the EC of our resto. left some ten years ago. Even the photo is bad, the presentation and garnish depicted represents everything that we try to avoid! Its really infuriating.

Does "fact checking" not exist is food journalism? Is it considered so low on the writing scale that editors just don't give a crap? All this worries me because I love food writing (reading it) and right now I'm having trust issues.

What's the scoop?

--AL

[Risque Cakes]

I'm so sorry to hear this, but I too feel a bit this way. I got a 3 page write up in the Miami Herald and they actually used photos that ARE NOT MINE!!! ( hello, can anyone say "copywrite?" ) somethings included that I asked not to be and some things not included that I begged to have put in.

Even though I had a good "raport" with the writer...you still have to remember that they may write, but the editor can get "EDIT" happy also.

[Cat Man]

Did anyone see Oceans 13?

The renowned food/hotel critic is visiting the hotel but the staff thinks someone else is the critic and treats the real critic like ****.

Too often, people know when a critic is visiting their establishment and gives them treatment well above what any normal customer would receive. Therefore, some of the objectivity is lost.

When I read a review, that's what I expect to receive, although rarely does that happen.

A competent reviewer will visit an establishment 3 times (unless the first two are simply aweful) during various business hours to get a well rounded perspective on the operation.

For me personally, I would rather make my 300 daily customers happy and not worry about a once a year critic visit.

If one has their act together, every customer is treated like a rock star critic, every single time.

I remember the CEO of MetroMedia once expressed satisfaction that 97% of their guests leave happy. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

3 out of every 100 guests left unhappy, and he was ok with that?

Cat Man

[Luc_H]

i don't review restaurants.
I report on science, debunking, recipes, anecdotes, health claims, nutrition, etc...

I have no formal journalism training (that is why I do it for free in a tiny local journal).

That said,
we live in an information world that requires content. What probably happened with your restaurant Al is a writer/journalist just recycled old info and sold it to a magazine/publishing house freelance.

Your establishment should complain about that.

Luc H.

[AllanMcPherson]

Luc,

Agreed. However with the book thing its a little worse. The book is solely credited to authors well known for documenting Atlantic Canadian food. They contacted Chef for recipes in a specific area, a type of fish( I'm really giving this away, aren't I?). He did so and then asked if it could be simplified for a home cook audience. For the record, the technique involved wasn't that onerous, but required some planing and a specific pantry item. He declined, as he was concerned with accurately portraying what we do.

The next thing we know is that we are credited with with a recipe that is nothing like we do. And that we a listed has a having a chef who hasn't worked here for a decade. Actually, the restaurant was "re-branded" some time ago so really this guy never worked here. It seems clear to me that the authors didn't get what they wanted so they raided their slush pile to fill the slot. But its out and out lying to attribute it to us. I mean, what's the point? How does that benefit them at all?

Anyway, we have contacted the publisher to complain and voice concern over this. Aside from that (and hand wringing) there isn't much to do.

--Al

[Luc_H]

Just shoddy work...!

Allan you're in Halifax? for some reason I thought you were in Ottawa?

Luc H.

[Botanique]

Sigh I am sorry you had that experience.

There are many snotty and stubborn reviewers out there. I have come accross and rubbed elbows with a few. However, not all are like that.

There is a difference between skewed criticism for gratification, and honesty. Truth is best with me -- I don't blow smoke up anyone's behind, and I don't complain for personal gain. I expect any critique of my food / work to be genuine -- because if it isn't, then what are we experiencing for??? AND I expect, that any chef / restaurant / author I review would like the same.

I call it like I taste it.

Make it matter.

And that's all I have to say about that

Cheers!!! Stevie

[AllanMcPherson]

I was in Ottawa but moved home last June.--Al

[foodnfoto]

First, it's necessary to distinguish between editorial (magazines, newspapers, online food sites) and book publishing.

Magazines and newspapers work on very tight deadlines and sometimes, facts are not thoroughly checked. Editorial standards vary from rag to rag, but most have a recipe writing "style sheet" that they adhere to. Reviews, however, are subject to the arbitrary biases of the reviewer and most reviewers have a stronger writing background than they do in the culinary arts. Most reviewers are usually people who love eating in restaurants and happen to be good writers. Some may also be fairly well self-educated about food and cooking, but gaps still abound. Most magazines and newpapers have paid fact checkers, but this is largely to protect the business from liability and accuracy of restaurant reviews is not considered particularly important.

Book publishing is an entirely different animal. The process of writing a book that eventually gets published and distributed usually takes years. From what you describe, the author was collecting recipes from many chefs from different restaurants. It's entirely possible that the author interviewed your former chef years ago and kept the recipe in his research archive then added it in when needed not bothering to check if the information he/she was presenting was accurate.

Also, when publishing recipes from chefs, they are usually reformatted to suit the needs of the home cook. Chefs recipes are usually cryptic and non-specific in their measurements and techniques as well as calling for hard to obtain ingredients and equipment. Often the yields go way beyond what a homecook would prepare. These recipes must be scaled down and reformatted to fit the overall thrust of the book and the needs of the consumer. Therefore, what you see published can be very different from what you actually serve.

I wouldn't worry about the affect on your business too much. Editorials are out there anywhere from a week to a month and then are gone. Most readers will only remember the name of your restaurant and usually in a positive light-that's good for you and no harm is done. Cookbooks, generally, have a very short life and are really only good as a marketing and advertising tool for the author. Books of collections of recipes from various restaurants have virtually zero half-life and are often found in the recycling and resale heaps within a year or two. Most consumers know the transient nature of restaurant menus and chef's employment so these books have very little popularity. Again, I wouldn't be too concerned about the impact on your business as few will associate the book with your restaurant-especially if it's wedged in between umpteen others.

I don't mean to come across as too negative here, but food publishing is a very here today, gone tomorrow type of industry. I know it seems significant from your vantage point because restaurant owners work very, very hard to get the attention they deserve and when some publisher throws you a bone, it seems huge. You are still chewing on it while everyone else has moved on. It's just a hard fact that the attention you have now from these two publications will get lost very quickly in the constant noise of food commentary.