How to Pitch: 9 Top Culinary Travel Writers
February 10, 2022
Culinary tourism goes far beyond simply what to eat in a destination – but you know that already. When pitching culinary travel writers interested in food topics, today’s travel publicists need to dive into the variety of characters in their culinary communities and dish up the untold stories.
Think more creatively about what your destination is doing and how culinary travel writers can tell those stories. Look for the new sustainable efforts, minority chefs rising in the ranks, or neighborhoods that are now home to an emerging dining scene to help engage food writers and excite them with your pitches.
With a strong list of culinary topics at the ready, you’ll need an equally powerful list of culinary journalists who can get your destination’s culinary stories published.
These culinary travel writers are some of our current favorites who are always on the look-out for the next big North American culinary story. Knowing each of their interests and audiences, however, will help you focus your efforts and generate better results.
Destinations always want to be featured in the glossy magazines and legacy publications we all know. Senior Editor at one of the most celebrated publications Food & Wine, David has an eye for what’s going to make the next big story. Having written for more than 20 years, he’s always looking for new trending stories across North America.
James Beard Foundation Award-winning journalist Shane Mitchell is an editor at Saveur Magazine. Her stories on food and female empowerment go beyond simply discussing what’s happening in a destination. Shane finds the deeper stories that no one is telling yet, but that we’re all hungry to hear.
Ruksana is an award-winning culinary travel writer for Cuisine Noir who finds angles that showcase and speak directly to Black audiences. She researches and reports on issues related to the African diaspora and delivers them through a culinary lens. For destinations looking to promote stories by Black entrepreneurs, chefs, spirits makers, or any other member of the culinary community, Ruksana will be receptive to your pitches.
Associate Editor at Delish, Alexis also has bylines in Cosmopolitan and Women’s Day, covering a variety of topics including, but not limited to food. For anything new, trending, or female-related, you can bet Alexis will be eager to know more.
5. Diala Canelo
If you’re looking to promote healthy eating concepts, vegan restaurants, sustainable farm-to-table restaurants, or anything else in that vein, Diala is going to be your best friend. This cookbook author and content creator travels to eat, and her gorgeous Instagram grid stands out from the crowd.
Rita is the National Food Editor and Lifestyle Editor at the Toronto Sun, making her a strong partner for reaching Canadian audiences. Whether it’s some quirky local story or a larger culinary trend sweeping a region, Rita is someone to have on your radar if you’re dreaming of more Canadian visitors.
7. Dan Clapson
The Globe and Mail is another Canadian daily to reach out to, and restaurant critic Dan Clapson is the person to know here. When new chefs or restaurant concepts are bubbling up in your destination, Dan will be more than ready to read a pitch about it. Having culinary travel writers in your little black book who know restaurants intimately is always a good idea.
Nearly half a million people follow Jessica on Instagram. She cooks. She travels. She eats. And she packages all of that content up for readers who can’t get enough. For influencer partnerships, Jessica is a strong choice when food is front and center, an ally in reaching travelers beyond the traditional routes.
Looking for something stylized and food-focused in your destination? Isabella Chen has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram showcasing her mouth-watering travels. Toronto is home to this photographer and content creator.
These are our favorite culinary travel writers around North America, spanning both the United States and Canada. Whether they are working for traditional publications or addressing their own audiences on social media, they can all be effective allies in promoting your destination’s culinary scene.
DCI has worked with culinary travel writers for more than 60 years to highlight the stories that get travelers interested – and food is always a favorite theme. Get in touch with Kayla at kayla.leska@old.aboutdci.com to learn more about how DCI can help leverage your unique culinary scene by partnering with the right writers and influencers.