Dave148 wrote:‘The work is never done’ — Tribune restaurant critic Phil Vettel says goodbye after 41 years
https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... story.html
GAF wrote:Too bad we can't read his last column as it is behind the CT's paywall, and, after all, there is really no reason to subscribe. Less reason each day.
GAF wrote:Too bad we can't read his last column as it is behind the CT's paywall, and, after all, there is really no reason to subscribe. Less reason each day.
jnm123 wrote:Bitter, are we?
I never minded Vettel, if only from an informational standpoint. I admired his breezy writing style--which is frankly becoming somewhat of a lost art--and used his reviews to gauge whether I wanted to dine at that particular venue. Period.
But what frosts me is when a personally-geared-specific lambasting comes from a critic without any factoring in of how difficult it is to stage the theatre, so to speak. I actually kind of agree with Vettel's supposed delineation between scrutinizing large restaurant chains more harshly than mom-and-pop operations. If Melman or Levy unveil a turkey--which isn't very often--I'd expect any critic to say so. A family operation where this singular storefront is their life, their very existence? Nope, I'd leave that to someone else. An 'abrogation' of his duties?! Bullroar.
I'd like to hear--maybe she's spoken out already--how Louisa feels on the matter. I met her at Burt Katz' (Gulliver's, Inferno, Pequod, Burt's Place) funeral--we spoke for a few minutes and I decided immediately she was a kindred spirit.
I've written a handful of feature pieces over the years, always allowing the human aspect to be woven into the copy. I realize features of 1500-2000 words are a completely different animal than a 500-word blurb in the Trib, but it never hurts to seek out the innate niceness in people, and walk in their shoes, if only for a little while.
WhyBeeSea wrote:Jonathan Gold
Vital Information wrote:I did have a long standing problem with Mr. Vettel.
I just felt his output was so weak. He could not even put out a review a week. Why? He was not an editor nor did he have other reporting obligations as far as I know. Hey, you got at least 19 meals a week if you do brunch on the weekends. How come he could not report on more?
ld111134 wrote:Did Blair Kamin quote architects or owners of buildings he reviewed?
scottsol wrote:ld111134 wrote:Did Blair Kamin quote architects or owners of buildings he reviewed?
As a matter of fact, more often than not.
scottsol wrote:Jeanne Gang quoted in a building review.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/blair-kamin/ct-biz-gang-tower-kamin-0722-story.html
Quote from named partner of architecture firm for Rubinstein building at U of C.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/blair-kamin/ct-biz-university-of-chicago-rubenstein-forum-kamin-20201026-xmjaz6gflvfvlczgrj2k44c5zm-story.html
Quote from founder of architecture firm for 150 N Wacker.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/blair-kamin/ct-biz-bank-of-america-tower-kamin-20201009-ylb3k4gfh5hzrcm4pbgj7lachu-story.html
ld111134 wrote:he was really a restaurant columnist
Well put. It was information, but the notion of informed criticism was abandoned. It's not supposed to be an easy job that makes a lot of friends. If you're so soft you pull your punches for independent "little guy" establishments, you're disgracing your profession. Your loyalty is to the readers. They don't get the time or money you could've saved them from spending on a crappy meal back.ld111134 wrote:However, I do stand by my views on Vettel being a suboptimal restaurant “critic” (he was really a restaurant columnist).
bweiny wrote:Well put. It was information, but the notion of informed criticism was abandoned. It's not supposed to be an easy job that makes a lot of friends. If you're so soft you pull your punches for independent "little guy" establishments, you're disgracing your profession. Your loyalty is to the readers. They don't get the time or money you could've saved them from spending on a crappy meal back.ld111134 wrote:However, I do stand by my views on Vettel being a suboptimal restaurant “critic” (he was really a restaurant columnist).
ld111134 wrote:In that way, there was no substantive difference between Vettel’s columns and Ina Pinkney’s “reviews” of breakfast joints in the Tribune
tjr wrote:ld111134 wrote:In that way, there was no substantive difference between Vettel’s columns and Ina Pinkney’s “reviews” of breakfast joints in the Tribune
Interesting comparison. I always took Pinkney's articles as recommendations or endorsements rather than reviews. Guess I tacitly assumed that she didn't mention places that she didn't particularly like. Her articles could reasonably help a reader decide whether they might like a spot. And I wonder if she considers herself to be a serious journalist.
Was the Trib's food coverage better in the old days? I've only been a reader for about 8 years. Biggest change in that time has been reduction in quantity.
ld111134 wrote:tjr wrote:ld111134 wrote:In that way, there was no substantive difference between Vettel’s columns and Ina Pinkney’s “reviews” of breakfast joints in the Tribune
Interesting comparison. I always took Pinkney's articles as recommendations or endorsements rather than reviews. Guess I tacitly assumed that she didn't mention places that she didn't particularly like. Her articles could reasonably help a reader decide whether they might like a spot. And I wonder if she considers herself to be a serious journalist.
Was the Trib's food coverage better in the old days? I've only been a reader for about 8 years. Biggest change in that time has been reduction in quantity.
This is disappointing considering the very high level, I dare say world class, level of criticism elsewhere in the paper - Greg Kot is one of the best rock critics in America, Blair Kamin won a Pulitzer Prize for his architectural criticism and Chris Jones is better than anyone at The New York Times since Frank Rich left the drama desk.
Dave148 wrote:ld111134 wrote:tjr wrote:ld111134 wrote:In that way, there was no substantive difference between Vettel’s columns and Ina Pinkney’s “reviews” of breakfast joints in the Tribune
Interesting comparison. I always took Pinkney's articles as recommendations or endorsements rather than reviews. Guess I tacitly assumed that she didn't mention places that she didn't particularly like. Her articles could reasonably help a reader decide whether they might like a spot. And I wonder if she considers herself to be a serious journalist.
Was the Trib's food coverage better in the old days? I've only been a reader for about 8 years. Biggest change in that time has been reduction in quantity.
This is disappointing considering the very high level, I dare say world class, level of criticism elsewhere in the paper - Greg Kot is one of the best rock critics in America, Blair Kamin won a Pulitzer Prize for his architectural criticism and Chris Jones is better than anyone at The New York Times since Frank Rich left the drama desk.
Greg Kot left the Trib a year ago. Blair Kamin left last month.
dave148 wrote: Greg Kot left the Trib a year ago. Blair Kamin left last month.
The point is that the Tribune is a zombie which should be buried. And in no way should be contemplated as a trustworthy source. The people taking leave from the newspaper recognize this.ld111134 wrote: Your point being what, exactly? While Kot and Kamin were at the Tribune, they were (and still are) among the best at their craft. Vettel was nowhere near the best at his.