Writing about food and drink
Food and Drink Guides publish comprehensive guides to eating out that cover 29 regions of the UK. Nearly five million people read the printed guides every year. The Food and Drink Guides mobile app for iOS and Android is the UK’s leading restaurant guide app.
I write review-style advertorials for the Leicestershire and Rutland area.
Advertorial copy
Each assignment starts with an interview with the business owner. This helps me to identify what makes the restaurant distinctive and forms the backbone of my article. On the visit itself I gather more information about the brand, philosophy and values. I spend time in the restaurant experiencing first-hand the food, service and atmosphere.
As with any freelance copywriting project, the first step is to identify what makes the product or service unique. Step two is to communicate those special qualities to the reader.
The copy takes the form of an advertorial feature which I write and file within 24 hours of the visit.
Love these guides!
Fantastic guide to everything you need for a good night out.
These guys are amazing at what they do.
Very useful, comprehensive guide. Thank you.
Food and Drink Guide readers
How not to write about food
Writing these reviews without resorting to cliché is a challenge I relish. I forbid myself from using vague and overused words like “delicious” and “mouth-watering” to describe food. Hackneyed phrases such as “hidden gem” and “something for everyone” fall under the same self-imposed ban.
Instead, I uncover what makes the restaurant distinctive and relay this to the reader accurately and vibrantly. The positive feedback I get from the restaurants I write about proves the value of my approach.