Also called: Food Journalist, Restaurant Critic
Writes about food, restaurants, and food culture for publications, books, and newsletters.
You eat at a new restaurant three times anonymously before writing a review. Other days you interview farmers or chefs for a feature story. Many food writers today also run newsletters and podcasts.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in journalism or English common.
Ways in: 4-year college, Self-taught. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Journalism, English, Communications.
Shrinking (about -1% over 10 years). Grouped with writers; staff critic jobs are shrinking.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI writes recipe roundups and listicles, shrinking paid food writing; real criticism and reporting still need people.
Classes: English, Journalism, Creative writing.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-3043.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.