NYT reviewer is on the rampage
Has anyone else noticed that the writer (Pete Wells) who is doing the interim restaurant reviews for the NYT seems to be trying to cram in as many negative comments and reviews as possible? I haven't gone to any of the places he has reviewed and it's definitely likely that these place deserve it, but he just seems to have a lot of nasty stuff to say in general. His reviews are pretty unpleasant to read and mostly are whiny complaints about the servers or the decor and not enough commentary on the food. Maybe I'm imagining things, but even though he gave the restaurant this week 1 star, it was more like a back-handed insult. I definitely don't feel inclined to try any of the places he's written about. It's like he's intentionally reviewing bad places to clear them out of the queue for Sam Sifton.
I guess he's every restaurant's frenemy right now.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
5 Comments:
And I just pulled this line from his restaurant brief column this week:
"Perhaps it is the design equivalent of the back-to-the-land movement in cooking. Or it may spring from a longing for the solid feel the world had when the economy produced physical objects, not collateralized wedges of greed."
Really? Do I read the Food section to hear about Pete Well's probably ill-informed opinion on collateralized debt obligations? No. No I don't. He's ruining my beloved Food section and I don't like it! He can go away quickly.
laurelie at 3:25PM on 09/30/09
http://events.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/dining/reviews/30rest.html?ref=dining
This is his latest review, right? I just read it, and I completely agree with you, laurelie. It reads like he's been drinking some serious haterade.
maxcriden at 3:31PM on 09/30/09
wow - I swear I didn't read this before I wrote my comment, but it looks like a lot of people are pissed at him, including Gael Greene!
NYMag: Pete Wells Is Asked to Kindly Loosen His Grip on Those Stars
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2009/09/pete_wells_is_asked_to_kindly.html
He may be the editor, but he needs to cool it with his hateful agenda. These restaurants are businesses that are trying to make it and the NYT carries a lot of cultural cache - they can make or break a place.
laurelie at 4:32PM on 09/30/09
"He may be the editor, but he needs to cool it with his hateful agenda. These restaurants are businesses that are trying to make it and the NYT carries a lot of cultural cache - they can make or break a place."
I think that may be the whole point. He sounds like he's on a power trip...it's too bad that he can't be constructive with his criticism.
AnnieNT at 7:30PM on 09/30/09
Sounds to me like he's just being point blank honest & not trying to fluff anyone up. Something the precious foodies of the city cant handle as someone is calling it like it is. "He's mean"? give me a break. Get over it & stop being a bunch of over sensitive ninnies.
carlton.fist at 6:20PM on 10/02/09