How To Become A Food Critic

The job of a food critic requires the individual to combine a passion for eating and testing new cuisines with a flair for writing. While most people perceive it as a ticket to free food for your entire career, it is in fact quite a demanding job not suited for everyone. If you want to learn how to become a food critic, and decide if this is the right career for you, our comprehensive guide will help you find the answers to your questions.

What Skills Do I Need To Become A Food Critic?
As a critic, you must be able to objectively evaluate food from various cuisines and of different tastes for your audiences. Because of this, you must be open to trying out new foods regardless of how strange or foreign they may seem to you. You must also have a keen sense of flavor and the way various ingredients come together to create the unique taste of a particular food.

You must also have excellent writing skills. Most food critics use blogs on the internet or articles in newspapers and magazines to spread the word among audiences. It takes talent to be able to convey an experience of taste effectively into words. Many individuals who become food critics start off by obtaining journalism degrees and specializing in writing reviews. Objectivity and anonymity are also imperative requirements. You should never unfairly condemn or praise a restaurant based on your own or others' opinions. You should also have to refrain from attending social events where chefs and food connoisseurs may be present, to avoid being influenced in any way.

Are There Any Cons To This Job?
Before you learn how to become a food critic, it is a good idea to consider some of the cons to the job as well. While you may enjoy eating out on a regular basis, a food critic often has to sit through multiple meals in a day on a regular basis and is expected to treat them all equally fairly. The routine can get stressful and overwhelming for even the most hardened foodie. Additionally, your need to maintain anonymity might conflict with your social life.

If you are weight-conscious, this is not a job recommended for you. Food critics eat continuously, and may gain 20 to 30 pounds. You will have to slot in extra hours at the gym to burn off the weight, which could be hectic to maintain this type of schedule. This is not to say that you should avoid the idea of becoming a food critic. These are valid occupational hazards which a person should consider.

Training:
Training to become a food critic can be done by taking courses in journalistic writing to help you improve your skill, and by attending a culinary institute to help understand the world of food, flavor, and cooking more intimately. Potential employers include food and wine magazines, newspapers, and even television channels. With this information, you could decide if a career as a food critic is right for you.