Do Food Bloggers Affect the Food Industry?

June 15, 2007

Mario Batali recently got an opportunity to tell us exactly how he feels about food bloggers. The article, entitled Why I Hate Food Bloggers is an interesting read, however the comments are where things really get interesting. Some people feel that real journalism has its faults as well, while others agree with Mario, saying that food blogs have become too tabloidy and publish first, fact check later. The whole thing makes me wonder, do you think food bloggers affect the food industry?

19 Comments

Madinat 5 years 48 weeks

agree with vapid. ppl act like the internet is destroyign the WORLD!

nycgirl 5 years 48 weeks

Grub Street by New York Magazine is absolutely pivotal. It can start people stampeding towards a restaurant (chefs included) or abandoning it. I can see why star chefs don't like being criticized by amateur non-Frank Brunis, but sometimes a food critic's review of spectacular cow eyeballs piled on foie gras and sea urchin roe isn't what is going to help me decide what to eat for dinner!!

Athena 5 years 48 weeks

I think there's a big difference to bloggers who blog for opinion, fun, reviews, etc than those that do it for "new media" news. Real industry people hate bloggers. The NY Times just published an article by someone who says book bloggers are disenfranchised loners (really?). Do I really expect to read blogs for the news about restaurant lease issues? Most bloggers are not some presumptious about their content and its value, and it seems to me industry people are taking these things way too seriously.

Butrfly4404 5 years 48 weeks

I'm not sure what he means by food blogger, either. Is that you? Or restaurant reviewing bloggers? Either way, I agree with what people are saying about not trusting blogs. I try to be honest and real and factual on my own, but I'm sure someone could pick it apart and find something not right. However, most of the things I write don't require a fact-check. :)

Butrfly4404 5 years 48 weeks

chancleta 5 years 48 weeks

PS Food bloggers probably do lots of good too! I bet they help get the word out about lots of places that would otherwise go un-noticed.

blackjade78 5 years 48 weeks

I totally agree with everything asciident said. Well put!

chancleta 5 years 48 weeks

I think people should read blogs with a grain of salt and bloggers should be more careful about their wording.Good wording is optimal.Something as simple as, "Rumor has it" before an unconfirmed statement could help.

chancleta 5 years 48 weeks

I think people should read blogs with a grain of salt and bloggers should be more careful about their wording. Good wording is optimal. Something as simple as, "Rumor has it" before an unconfirmed statement could help.

awa78 5 years 48 weeks

Well I do agree that bloggers don't always have all the facts, but then again are they really expected to? They aren't really held up to the standard of "real" journalism. Whether that's right or not, I, like many others, simply use them as a great source of entertainment. If you want hard facts read the NY Times or the like.

asciident 5 years 48 weeks

Everyone's always been a food/restaurant critic, they just have better avenues of sharing their opinions now. Should some of them be more informed? Sure. Should everyone take a blogger's word as gospel? No. But it's up to people to be responsible for themselves; people need to stop worrying about this.

vapidintuition 5 years 48 weeks

Honestly, people need to calm the Eff down. Srsly.

rb24 5 years 48 weeks

I like food blogs.

rb24 5 years 48 weeks

I like food blogs.

LaLaLaurie06 5 years 48 weeks

I'm not sure what a food blogger is either. I'm getting an image of, like, an entertainment blogger only with food? Also, the internet lets people put up whatever they want! It's not just food that doesn't get fact-checked!