Chowing Down…Writing About Food

Do you like food?

Being only days away from America's biggest eating day, 3 Questions…and Answers wants to talk turkey about…well…turkey…and other food topics.

Other than maybe an anorexic supermodel, I don't know a single person who doesn't have at least one favorite food. Since the mantra of writing is to write what you know, why not use your taste buds to earn a paycheck?

The need for food-related articles is boundless. You can find food columns in newspapers, grocery store circulars and in all kinds of magazines, online and print. There are magazines devoted to single types of foods, to cooking and to chef and restaurant profiles. Chances are if you have something to say about food, you'll find a place to print it.

How many kinds of food articles are there?

Technically, there is no limit on the types of food articles, but the common ones are how-to/recipe articles, restaurant reviews, profiles of cooks and/or restaurants, and informative articles on a cuisine or cooking gadgets.

How-to articles or recipes are usually a good way to break in to food magazines and also many women magazines. Newspapers also publish a lot of recipe articles. So if you're known for your creativity in the kitchen, think about putting your more memorable recipes in print.

Most cooking magazines also have columns devoted to gadgets and cooking tools. Writing these short reviews or instructive articles for these columns can help you break in to a new market.

The job of a food or restaurant critic is a harder sell. You need to have experience in a professional kitchen. Working as a waiter at the local steak house doesn't make you an expert on restaurants and food preparation. Some published food critics have attended culinary school. You need to have a wide variety of food experience, too, unless you plan to stick to one cuisine. Finally, start small reviewing local restaurants for your hometown paper or city magazine to build your reputation and your résumé.

For profiles, you'll need similar background experiences as a food critic, primarily so you can ask the right questions and converse intelligently with your subject. Profiles have a wide appeal, especially if the chef or restaurant is an award-winner. Some potential markets include travel and airline magazines, lifestyle magazines, city magazines and newspapers.

How about a big helping of potential markets as an appetizer?

Below are online and print magazines that focus on food, cooking or cuisine. Most have original online content. Not all have submission guidelines, but there is a lot of material on the website to get a feel for what they want. Click the titles below to go to the magazines' websites.

BBC Good Food - UK magazine seeking healthy cooking and eating tips, profiles, recipes, how-to and other features.
Cuisine - a New Zealand magazine, seeks recipes, tips, gadgets and tools, books, wines and more.
Cyberchef - online magazine from CultureKiosque.com, seeks interviews, reviews, recipes, tips, and menus.
Diabetic Gourmet - an online magazine covering all aspects of diabetic dining, including recipes, healthy cooking and eating.
Diablo - a lifestyle magazine for the San Francisco East Bay area, seeks reviews of local restaurants.
Fiery Foods - covers "Chile peppers, fiery-foods and barbecue", query with clips and mention if photos or illustrations are available.
Food and Wine - fine dining magazine seeks recipes, restaurant reviews, tips, wine/food pairings, profiles and more.
Gastronomica - seeks articles on the history, production, uses, and depictions of food.
Living Without - seeks articles and recipes for those with food allergies.
Orient Magazine - a lifestyle magazine that "builds bridges of understanding" between Asians and Americans, dining section seeks profiles of Asian restaurants, recipes, and more.
Saveur - seeks culinary trends, features on cuisines and recipes, cooking techniques and more.
StarChefs - seeks freelance contributions on "industry trends, food debates, techniques," online submission form.

Don't forget city and lifestyle magazines as well as newspapers need food-related articles. You can find newspapers online at NewsVoyager.com, and info on city magazines at CityMagazines.com and at the City and Regional Magazine Association website.