Ep #25: Dishing It Out With the Food Critic With Lauren Saria

ptotah
Apr 23
2 min read

Have you ever wondered what it's really like to be a food journalist in one of the most competitive restaurant scenes in the country? Today, we're pulling back the curtain on the fascinating world of food journalism with Lauren Saria, Food Editor at the San Francisco Standard. With over a decade of experience covering restaurants and culinary trends, Lauren brings a unique perspective on what makes the Bay Area food scene tick.

Lauren's impressive background includes serving as a site leader at Eater SF, food editor at the Arizona Republic, and co-chair of the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Award Committee. What makes her approach to food journalism so refreshing is her commitment to balancing honesty with fairness when covering restaurants. She's not interested in simply telling readers what they already know – she's looking for the stories that haven't been told yet.

In this episode, we dive into how Lauren decides which restaurants to cover, what makes a dining experience truly memorable, and how the restaurant industry has evolved post-pandemic. She shares candid insights about the difference between food journalists and influencers, revealing the ethical standards that guide her work. Whether you're a restaurant owner, food enthusiast, or simply curious about what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite dining spots, this conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into how the stories we read about food come to be.

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What You’ll Learn from this Episode:

How Lauren balances honesty with fairness when reviewing restaurants.
The key differences between professional food journalists and social media influencers.
Why the era of "the customer is always right" in restaurants has evolved and how service expectations have changed post-pandemic.
The process Lauren uses when handling sensitive information about restaurant sales or closures before they become public knowledge.
What makes a new restaurant concept stand out to a professional food critic in a saturated market.
How food journalists determine which stories will resonate with readers and why some unexpected topics gain traction.