Food Writers and Editors
Overview
Introduction
Food writers write about food and drink. They may report on food- or cooking-related events, interview chefs or other food/cooking personalities, review recipes or restaurants, or simply write about a specific food or product. With their writing, they may persuade the general public to choose certain goods, services, and personalities.
Food editors perform a wide range of functions, but their primary responsibility is to ensure that text provided by food writers is suitable in content, format, and style for the inten...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
In May 2018, the median salary for writers, including food writers, was $62,170 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The lowest paid 10 percent earned $31,700 or less, and the top paid 10 percent earned $121,670 or more. Writers who worked for newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers earned mean annual salaries of $59,290 in May 2018.
The DOL reports tha...
Work Environment
Working conditions vary for food writers. Although their workweek usually runs 35 to 40 hours, many writers work during nontraditional hours or work overtime. Writers often work nights and weekends to cover food and beverage industry events, review restaurants, or to meet deadlines.
Many food writers work independently, but they often must cooperate with artists, photographers, editors, ...
Outlook
Employment for all editors is expected to decline 3 percent, while little or no change in employment is expected for all writers through 2028, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. In general, online publications will offer the best job prospects for writers and editors. Those who are comfortable writing and editing using a variety of digital tools will have bett...
