Everyone’s a Critic (Including Me)
One of my more recent writing gigs is also one of my most interesting: I’ve been hired as the lead reviewer for Manhattan , the latest city magazine from Modern Luxury publications. I get to go to places like Adour Alain Ducasse, Per Se and Momofuku Ko and nitpick my way through meals concocted by some of the greatest chefs in New York. It’s a simultaneously power-packing and humbling experience. I’ve read many a critic’s drubbing of a fine dining establishment and thought, “those who can’t cook, critique.” Now, I’m in their shoes, and treading lightly. That I could bestow a mere three stars (out of five) on Monsieur Ducasse is in some ways laughable, but what you learn when you cast a critical eye on a meal is to look no further than the table and the hours you’ve spent there. Every meal must be judged on its own merits, and you’ve got to tell the truth. See what you think of my first 2 reviews, and holler back at me.