Portraits of the 5 most influential French food journalists

In the age of digital, blogs and social media, it's not uncommon to hear that anyone can be a journalist. Indeed, many influencers and bloggers create quality content and distribute it to a receptive and engaged audience. However, bloggers, influencers and journalists have different roles in our society, and while journalists and food bloggers tackle the same subjects, their working methods and the reception of their content are not the same.

Influencers and bloggers communicate on their own behalf, disseminating their content via media outlets of their own creation. Journalists, on the other hand, express themselves through a medium for which they work, and whose values and editorial line they must respect. The journalistic pen must also be neutral and objective (as stated in the Charter of Professional Ethics for Journalists drawn up by the Syndicat National des Journalistes), whereas the influencer's pen can take on the face of its author, allowing the reader to wander into the latter's intimacy.This difference is fundamental to the relationships these media players have with their readers: bloggers and influencers nurture relationships of trust with their audiences, who often identify with them, while journalists maintain a certain distance in order to embody a role of prescriber.

In short, the journalist's discourse is one of truth and expertise, while the blogger embodies his message and places his argumentation on the side of experience and assumed subjectivity.

Having the support of these different players doesn't bring the same value to restaurants. Bloggers and influencers offer the benefit of their proximity and give high visibility to the establishments that work alongside them. Journalists, on the other hand, give the restaurant a high degree of credibility and notoriety, although some journalists have managed to forge such a reputation for themselves that they take on both roles. Having become real media personalities, they maintain privileged relationships with readers who read their content as much for the name of their author as for that of the medium in which they are anchored. By inviting one of these journalists into your restaurant and convincing him or her of the quality of your cuisine and your project , your establishment will gain not only visibility but also notoriety.

‍So, who are these star journalists today who whet French appetites and advise them on the best tables? What are their career paths? Here are portraits of 5 of today's most renowned food journalists.

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1.François Simon, known as Simon Says

His speciality: an incognito critic who prefers small bistros to big tables.

Few people can put a face to this name, even though it is famous in France. And with good reason: François Simon is one of the few food journalists who still works anonymously:"I've always been careful to maintain my incognito and my independence..." he told Welcome to The Jungle last October.why? François Simon wants to experience the same visit as his readers, and to put down on paper the experience that customers will have if they visit the restaurant he reviews. So, to avoid being spotted by his guests , he has never shown his face, and uses stratagems to maintain his anonymity. "At first, I wrote everything down right away... but I realized that I was quickly spotted (laughs). So I started taking books with me: it allowed me to pretend I wasn't paying any attention to the food, but also to annotate in the margins." ( Welcome To The Jungle interview, October 2018)After a 40-year career, and countless restaurants to his credit, François Simon is of course sometimes recognized by restaurateurs. In this case, for him, these experiences are skewed and don't have the same flavor. So today, he prefers bistros and foreign restaurants, where he's less likely to be spotted.

His background

François Simon studied law before becoming a permanent member of the editorial staff of the daily Presse-Océan. So it was far from the clatter of plates that the famous food critic got his start in journalism, which came as no surprise to those around him, as gastronomy was never an obvious choice for him. He was more of a"pizza and coke" man than a "fine dining" man when the renowned Christian Millaufounder of the famous Gault et Millauguide, approached him to work alongside him. It was there that he learned about the pleasures of the table. It was there, too, that he sharpened his pen and learned to weigh his words sparingly:"I know I'm very critical, and that can have devastating effects," declares the journalist.François Simon then moved on to several editorial departments, where he held positions of responsibility: editor-in-chief of"Cuisine et Vins de France" for the Marie Claire group, co-creator of the Figaroscope (alongside Philippe Villin), editor-in-chief then editorial director of the same medium, Grand Reporter at Le Figaro, Madame Figaro and Figaro magazine... are just some of the titles on his list of honors.But he didn't limit himself to print media: the celebrated critic also worked for radio and television. He has also worked for radio and television, heading up the"Chronique de François Simon" on Direct 8 and summer features on Arte's 28 Minutes.

What media does he work for today?

Today, the journalist works for a number of titles, including GQ, Vogue Paris and Le Figaro. In short, he likes to "snack": in other words, he develops his skills in a wide variety of media. He has created his own blog, Simon Says, which was awarded the prize for best blog of the year in 2008; he has also launched an Instagram account, simonsaysfr, which has over 15,000 subscribers, and produced a series of podcasts,"J'ai faim", in collaboration with MyLittleParis (which we mentioned in this article)...François Simon considers that the long literary criticism exercise for which he was trained and which made him fall in love with his profession "no longer exists and is no longer of interest".. So he's helping to reinvent it and give it its rightful place in an evolving society in which the tranquility of habit no longer has a place. "I take care to be intranquil", he declares. he declares admitting that he'll never stop writing what he loves most.

2. Emmanuel Rubin

What makes him special: the food critic who wrote his first reviews without even realizing it

The son of a restaurateur, Emmanuel Rubin says he was " born in the pots " and has cultivated his passion for cooking since his earliest childhood. In his parents' kitchens, he learned not only a taste for good things, but also a taste for analyzing them. In fact, he wrote his first culinary reviews without even realizing it : as a child, he was already having fun writing down his impressions after tasting his dishes. It was from this child's play that his precise, sharp pen was born, feared but also and above all admired by more than one restaurateur, for today he is one of France's best-known and most recognized food critics. And with good reason: he writes for some of the country's most widely read publications,Le Figaro and Le Fooding.

His background

Emmanuel Rubin began his school career by studying literature and journalism, before turning to gastronomic criticism. An iconic journalist at Le Figaro, he wrote his first review for the title in 1991, in the " Figaroscope " column, specializing in restaurant recommendations, and since then has presented his favorite addresses every week in the Figaro supplement, where he has worked alongside some of the most talented journalists, such as François Simon, creator of Figaroscope. He is also a TV host for BFM Business and was editorial director of éditions Jalouwhich published L'Officiel, Jalouse, L'Optimum, L'Officiel Hommes, L'Officiel Voyages...He is also known for co-founding one of the country's most renowned culinary guides: Le Fooding. Together with Alexandre Cammas, they set out in 2000 to shake up the codes of French gastronomic criticism and put the plate and restaurant atmosphere on an equal footing. The name of the famous magazine is no accident: it's the meeting of the words "Food" and "Feeling", and defines the discovery of a restaurant as a sensory as well as a social experience.

In which media does he write today

For almost 25 years now, Emmanuel Rubin has been writing for Le Figaro, where he has become an iconic figure. Alongside Karine Vergniol, he also hosts Goûts de Luxea weekend program on BFM Business that focuses on the capital's hottest spots.

3. Estérelle Payany

What makes her special: a multi-media critic with a passion for vegetarian cuisine

Estérelle Payany is a true Swiss Army knife. The author of over twenty cookery books, this food enthusiast is also the author of a successful blog, an editor for well-known print media, and a radio and TV commentator... Here, she deciphers all the major food trends, but talks with even greater passion about vegetarian cuisine, of which she has learned all the ins and outs.

His background

Estérelle Payany studied literature, which led her to work in the web sector. She entered the culinary world with a simple click of her mouse, and launched the blog estherkitchen Young Estérelle has always had a passion for cooking: instead of listening in class, she used to draw desserts and invent pies in geometry, which later delighted her brother and sister, she writes in her blog. However, it was far from tables and kitchens that she began her professional life: she was then working for a major international group. So it was initially through her blog and books that she continued to cultivate her passion. But her career really took off after the publication of her first book by Editions Librio, which led to her being contacted by the editors of the magazine Elle who gave her a chance as an editor. Other editors such as Marmiton and Régal followed the example of the women's press medium and offered her the chance to contribute to the content of their food pages. But her media success didn't keep her from her love of the kitchen: last year, she pocketed her CAP in cooking, thus completing her exemplary and atypical career path.

What media does she work for today?

After working for Elle for 10 years, Estérelle Payany began a successful career as a freelance journalist. She now writes every week for the Restos pages of Télérama Sortirand also contributes to the pages of Télérama, the magazine Régal and 3 étoilesShehas also added several strings to her bow, and is a regular contributor to the radio program " On va déguster ". On va déguster "on France Inter. She has also appeared as a judge on the TV program Un Chef à l'oreille broadcast in winter 2017 on France 2. More recently, she appeared on Netflix as the French ambassador on the show"Tout le monde à table".

4. François-Régis Gaudry

What makes him special: France's favourite food critic, who links food and social issues.

François-Régis Gaudry is currently one of France's most talked-about food critics. The journalist is in fact at the helm of two of today's most popular culinary programs: the historic On va déguster on France Inter, which attracts more than a million listeners every Sunday. over a million listeners every SundayHe is also a committed journalist who believes that food is a social issue. His journalistic subjects therefore always combine gastronomy and societal debates. How can we eat well, eat better, on a limited budget? How can you be sure of the quality and origin of your products? These are the questions addressed by the critic, who believes that food journalists must play a specific role in society if they are to find their place: " Food is at the heart of all the issues surrounding globalization. If the food critic is to take an interest in these issues, he or she must go beyond the gustatory dimension, and therefore beyond futility, " the columnist told L'Obs. François-Régis Gaudry is just as interested in fine dining as he is in the best ham and butter sandwiches sandwiches. But it's away from the tables that the journalist spends his time: he regularly sets out to meet small French producers, whom he strives to highlight and enhance in the eyes of his readers or viewers, and this is certainly one of the missions he's most passionate about. I'm moved by the committed, the local sentinels," confesses Gaudry to L'Obs. Highly isolated, these people who have had their lives turned upside down and are driven by their passion are the locomotives of the new generations, those who want to believe in better food".

His background

"At home, we used to discuss what we were going to eat for breakfast and what we were going to eat for dinner over lunch". François-Régis Gaudry learned from an early age to appreciate the finer things in life. Going back over the origins of his love of cooking, the journalist declares that it was his mother who instilled in him a taste for "products of the earth", while his father would have taken him all over France to discover the best addresses in the MichelinThe art of writing was cultivated on the benches of SciencesPo. It was during an internship at school that he first took his first steps at one of France's most famous specialized media: the Guide du Routard. Thanks to it, he travels to many countries where he appreciates the culinary cultures and the best tables. He contributed to the updating of several titles and wrote his first gastronomic reviews. Fooding where he developed his writing skills. He made his mark there in the early years of the title, before joining the editorial staff of L'Express where he took charge of the "Saveurs" pages.His career path is far from confined to the print media. He first made his mark at Europe 1, where he hosted a"Saveurs et consommation" column every day of the week. The success of this program, which regularly breaks audience records, naturally led François-Régis Gaudry to move from radio to France's favorite medium, television, to talk about cooking and good food to as many people as possible.

What media does he work for today?

François-Régis Gaudry is still combing through some of Paris's finest addresses for L'Express, as well as heading up On va déguster .On va déguster on France Inter, where he discusses gastronomy and local cuisine alongside a wide range of guests (top chefs, young talents, small-scale producers, film-makers... all appearing every Sunday). He is joined by a host of columnists, including Elvira Masson, Dominique Hutin and Estérelle Payany. Très Très Bon on which he shares with his viewers the good addresses of his columnists. Elvira Masson detects the best places to go for savory treats, Mina Soundiram presents street-food addresses, Valentine Oudard introduces viewers to Parisian bouis-bouis, while Philippine Darblay visits markets...

5. Raphaële Marchal

What makes her special: the foodie blogger backed by the biggest names

Raphaële Marchal started out by creating her own blog, before being catapulted to the forefront of the French culinary media scene. Supported by top names such as François Simon, she has made a name for herself in renowned media.

His background

Cooking has always been an obsession for Raphaële Marchal. After trying her hand in the kitchens of several restaurants, she realized that she was"more fascinated by the gestures and stories of the cooks than by herown whisk" (Raphaële Marchal blog).(blog Raphaële Marchal), so she created the blog En Rang d'Oignons , which met with immediate success and was voted best food blog of the year 2014 by the Golden Blog Awards. This accolade marked the start of her media career: the very next day, the world-famous Michelin Guide contacted her to ask her to write for their webzine. This was followed by calls from many other renowned gastronomic media: Fou de Pâtisserie, Fou de Cuisine and even Le Fooding all offered her a place on their pages.After the renowned media, it was the gastronomic critics themselves who asked her to work alongside them. But Raphaële Marchal doesn't just work in the media. She has also set up her own events company specializing in gastronomy. She launched it in March 2015 with the creation of a first event to which some fifty renowned Chefs responded, such as Guillaume Sanchez, a talented former Top Chef contestant. On the strength of this success, the young foodie took the plunge into entrepreneurship and today juggles organizing gastronomic events with writing.

What media does she work for today?

Today, Raphaële Marchal freelances for a number of media outlets, including Fou de Pâtisserie, Fou de Cuisine, C8 and BFM TV. She also manages an Instagram account with nearly 40,000 followers, and writes for her blog launched in 2014.

Conclusion

François Simon, Esterelle Payany, Emmanuel Rubin, François-Régis Gaudry and Raphaële Marchal feed our French media with sweet and savory reviews. But they're not the only ones to share their good addresses, their gastronomic delights and their culinary disappointments. We could also mention the very talented Gilles Pudlowski, Mina Soundiram, Sébastien Demorand, Stéphane Méjanès, Périco Légasse, Nathalie Helal, Colette Monsat, Elvira Masson, Valentine Oudard or Philippine Darblay, who have also succeeded in imposing their names on the very select circle of renowned food journalists in recent years.Convincing these recognized media players to come and taste your cuisine, and succeeding in seducing them, ensures a restaurant a sharp rise in notoriety and credibility. Implementing a relevant press relations strategy requires in-depth monitoring to identify the most relevant contacts for your establishment. It's important not only to find the media of most interest to your restaurant, but also the right contacts within these titles.We also explained that press relations should be considered in tandem with Influence Marketing. These two activities complement each other and help to attract new customers to your restaurant. Influencers and bloggers are also excellent collaborators. To make sure you're working with the right people, in this article we share in this article a list of tips for detecting bogus influencers, and in this one a list of influencers you can trust to implement a relevant Influencer marketing strategy.