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Food Writing Boot Camp

With a contributing editor at Food & Wine

Course is closed.
Food Writing Boot Camp

WHEN 8 weeks, Tuesdays, May 27 - July 15, 7-10 pm

WHERE New York (Soho)

LEVEL Intermediate/advanced

PRICE
$499 ($475 for )
more info

Course Details

It seems like everyone wants to be a food writer, so how can a journalist gain an edge? Until you can walk into a restaurant as an undercover reviewer to judge a chef's cooking, there are plenty of other ways to build a portfolio of published food-related items. Each week, you'll receive an assignment with prototypes so you can see how it's been done before, and wisdom and tips from your instructor on how to go about completing the assignment.

This is a selective, rigorous course that requires a significant time commitment. However, unlike many classes, you will not have to work on others' pieces outside of class.

In this class, you will learn:

  • How to write a pitch an editor can't turn down
  • Which magazines are easiest to break into
  • How to edit yourself
  • How to write or edit a recipe
  • How to find your niche within the food-writing community
  • How to find chefs and other gourmands as sources

By the end of class, students will have:
A complete portfolio of publishable articles (including a news product or cooking tip; personal essay with recipe; a profile of a food personality; a restaurant review or roundup; a regional food feature; a food-related trend piece; and a cultural, travel, or holiday-oriented food feature

Admission requirements:
Students must have at least one year journalism experience. Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history) and a writing sample (less than 2,000 words).

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Instructor Bio

Jane Sigal's Courses

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Jane Sigal
Jane Sigal is a contributing editor at Food & Wine, where she was previously a senior editor for nine years, and the special projects editor at Wine & Spirits. She's covered everything from food, wine, and restaurants to kitchens, travel, and health, but usually writes about top French chefs like Joel Robuchon and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Jane earned a Grand Diplome from Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne and lived in Paris for 12 years.

Before working in magazines, Jane was an acquiring editor in the cooking & gardening division of Macmillan USA. She is also the author of two books, Backroad Bistros, Farmhouse Fare and Normandy Gastronomique, and a contributor to Food & Wine's travel collection, Star Chefs on the Road. She has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Time Out New York. Her most recent story is a personal essay on working as a host at the new Upper West Side three-star restaurant Dovetail.

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