Comments on mattatouille: The State of LA's Food Blogging Scene: Can/Should ...

interesting discourse, especially in the comments....

2009-09-05T01:19:18.718-07:00

interesting discourse, especially in the comments. i'm on the outside looking for the most part (food/resto blogger groupie?). if anything, i feel 2009 was THE year for restaurant blogging. i've followed a number of blogs over the years, but i've discovered so many more JUST in 2009 (or maybe i'm late?).

First of all, I agree, it's important to tip y...

2009-09-04T19:02:46.608-07:00

First of all, I agree, it's important to tip your servers whether the meal was free or not!

In regards to attending a media or blogger event hosted by the restaurant. There is pressure of not writing a negative review, but I'll try to at least point out the hightlights of the meal. In the end, I just write for fun, while these free meals might be awesome perks, I'd still be

Great, very intriguing post. As a food and drin...

2009-09-04T11:47:31.838-07:00

Great, very intriguing post.

As a food and drinks blogger, I don't accept free meals and routinely ignore invitations to tasting or press events. I don't want to be known and I want to form my own impressions.

My only exception is that I will accept sample products in the mail (mostly spirits and chocolate). I rationalize this by telling myself that (1) it's

diana: it can be a little disconcerting to hear ab...

2009-09-03T18:04:02.986-07:00

diana: it can be a little disconcerting to hear about all of these free meals to other bloggers, only to be left out, but I think you have the right mindset by continuing to blog because you enjoy it, not because you want the perks. but in the end, who does want perks?

HC: I think you're right in that the deciphering the good blogs from the bad can be a fairly simple exercise, but

cathy: yes, I didn't mention that many, if not...

2009-09-03T18:01:20.791-07:00

cathy: yes, I didn't mention that many, if not most people, blog because they really enjoy it. That goes for myself as well. That's an important aspect.

Matt, You touch on a lot of interesting points, b...

2009-09-03T00:14:06.070-07:00

Matt,

You touch on a lot of interesting points, but it's impossible to cover this topic in a single post. When writing about free meals, full disclosure is key. It's important to specify that a meal was free or a media dinner. Otherwise, that could cut into a blogger's credibility. Also, just because the meal's free doesn't mean a blogger is obligated to write

great insight Matt. Totally agree with the majori...

2009-09-02T15:55:03.978-07:00

great insight Matt.

Totally agree with the majority consensus of how going to a P.R dinner kinda stifles the otherwise naturally-occurring inspiration that comes by just stepping out and having a legit bite.

I myself will always never say no to a 'comped' anything.

Recently, comped meals have been about 90% of my restaurant blogging. But that is TEENAGE

I agreed with Diana, freebies and special perks ar...

2009-09-02T14:57:40.553-07:00

I agreed with Diana, freebies and special perks aren't necessarily great since there's the implicit pressure of blogging it soon and blogging it in a positive light (even though I already tend blog just about places I like already, there's definitely a difference between "I want to blog about it" vs. "I have to blog about it")

And if free meals do stop

For a while I was bummed that I wasn't being i...

2009-09-02T11:33:14.658-07:00

For a while I was bummed that I wasn't being included in any of the free media events, but now that I've been to a few, I'm not sure it's really my thing. It kind of takes the fun out of blogging when it feels more like a duty. I blog for myself, not because I'm hoping to score a free meal. That said, I won't necessarily say "no" when a restaurant or PR

I love to blog! LOVE IT. It's my creative outl...

2009-09-02T10:25:50.296-07:00

I love to blog! LOVE IT. It's my creative outlet. When I go a few days without, I feel this intense pull not unlike a craving. The fact that I get some freebies every so often is just gravy. It could all end today and I'd still be cranking out posts day after day.

And YES, bloggers, please please please tip when you're dining on someone else's dime. It's poor form

mattatouille said... Matt, I agree that we do need...

2009-09-02T09:43:33.389-07:00

mattatouille said...
Matt, I agree that we do need to continue to do what we do with ethics.

Weezermonkey: I guess I should have further clarified (as I did in the first section) that this type of food blogger is the restaurant blogger. While perhaps a majority of the food blogging scene doesn't necessarily get free meals, it's still compelling to think about the portion

I wish I got free meals. There's only a handf...

2009-09-02T07:57:44.355-07:00

I wish I got free meals.

There's only a handful of you guys who do. Your post is rather misleading in that you make it sound like all bloggers are getting comped meals all the time.

Not true.

For the vast majority of us, your article is completely N/A.

I blog for fun. I blog to keep a record of what I do. I blog to stay in touch with friends near

What a brilliant post, Matt. Loved reading your ta...

2009-09-02T05:41:48.146-07:00

What a brilliant post, Matt. Loved reading your take and also glad for the clarification regarding restaurant food bloggers. As an established food blogger I do not review restaurants and rarely cover then so I feel that many of these issues go under my radar. I think as long as restaurant food bloggers like you continue with ethics, transparency and intelligence we'll be a-ok. Unfortunately