Joanne Kates Revealed
I was talking to a chef last week who mentioned James Chatto had recently been in to review his restaurant. Since Toronto Life's star food critic has one of the most recognizable faces in the business the chef was able to alert his staff so Chatto would be given proper service.
When I asked him if Joanne Kates had dined there yet he said he didn't know what she looks like. You see, The Globe's restaurant scribe has a reputation for going to great lengths to avoid being photographed. She does this so her readers can be confident that she never receives any special treatment.
How to explain then why Kates wouldn't be a bit more cautious about uploading photos of herself to her Camp's web site. Doesn't she know these images can be found through a simple search on Google?
Comments (14)
...and there you go, popularizing her face. What's the point of this story, really?
Just because her face is out there to be found just means that nervous restauranteurs have to do a little searching. Now you've made it VERY easy for them to find her by posting her image on a website that reviews restaurants.
Again I ask, what is the point of this story? Why did you write it?
Who does it serve? Is there any good to this? Aside from allowing shoddy restaurant owners the opportunity to improve themselves temporarily in a reviewers presence... who needs to know this information?
There's a reason that reviewers need to be unfamiliar - so they can obtain an objective view of their subject. You KNOW this. Reviews serve a purpose. Why out a reviewer? Honestly?
Actually, the Globe accidentally outed Kates themselves last spring when they redesigned their web site in conjunction with the revamping of the Style section. Her photo was posted to the Globe and Mail website for about a week until it just as suddenly disappeared.
I love her column and read it weekly. I think you actually do a disservice to foodies by posting this. Candid, realistic reviews are very important. Why not respect her process? I respect BlogTo and would hope that your writer's and artist processes are always respected.
Heather
The point of this post, really, was to illustrate rather simply that in the age of the internet many of the rules that traditional media once played by no longer apply.
Here we have an old-school (and highly respected) food columnist who works for big/traditional media and she's trying to hold on to a principle (protecting her identity) that may have been achievable 10 years ago but in today's age with the proliferation of digital camera, camera phones, social media and the internet itself is an exercise in failure.
For Kates to pretend (and I'm not saying she necessarily was) that she could still keep her identity a secret would not only be fooling her readers but also herself.
I'm a little confused by this. So it's NOT okay for a restaurant critic to want to keep their identity a secret? I think your intro paragraph says it all. There is a reason why these critics are secretive. If establishments know that they are coming, then the service and food changes, thus altering the experience. It becomes a bias, but wait, you already knew that right?
I am in no way defending Joanne Kates as she can sometimes be off the mark with her content, but publishing someone's photo just to out them as a food critic? What's the point of this post?
This only serves to discount Chatto's reviews and elevate Kate's reviews. Put my face up there so that I can get exceptional service!
"Here we have an old-school (and highly respected) food columnist...trying to hold on to...protecting her identity...that may have been achievable 10 years ago but in today's age...(it)...is an exercise in failure."
Ehgads! The Internet changes everything! Big deal.
The 'hidden identity' thing is as much for Joanne's readers as it is for her own good as a food columnist; she's crafted a character that her readers have come to know and expect. The fedora and the whole associated schitck is part of that character.
That's not to say that she doesn't protect her identity while at a resto (the G&M provides her with pseudonyms), but don't think that she's not known by chefs; frankly, Joanne isn't a dumb woman and would have been aware of the ramifications of having her photograph on the camp website.
Frankly, I think it's more of a story that James Chatto couldn't put this all together for himself...but then again, he's probably much too busy to care.
I have the utmost respect for Joanne Kates as a food critic. One of the few food writers to actually know what they are talking about.
Exposing her like this, to me, seems like a waste of time. I don't care what she looks like, and to assume that she lives her life masked is a joke.
Alisa - I don't think anyone thinks Joanne Kates lives her life with a mask on. I think you're totally missing the point of this post. I don't really care what she looks like either. The point is, food critics like her can't keep their identity a secret. But whether that even leads to more accurate reviews or not is debatable. Just read Chatto's article in Toronto Life to see what I mean.
Thank you for putting her face out there!
The woman is a pure bitch! She goes around restaurant to restaurant to write reviews that are as horrible as her face.
I worked for Kates at Arowhon, and she would gladly tell anyone from any one of her worlds that she is a Camp Director first, and a Food Critic second. I think this post was without merit when it was first published, and linking to it every time she is mentioned is just plain boring.
As someone critiquing food as an anonymous individual in order to receive the same service as the next guy, it's important for J.K. to remain understated and reserved. That is part of her job, and she enlightens us to her standards as someone who comes from an educated and knowledgeable background. Thus said, this article is just plain bullshit. Why shouldn't she be able to have a normal life outside of her job, and enjoy the same anonymity as the rest of us?
I really enjoy her articles and would hate to see her given special attention in her position. In a city of amazing and also lesser so restaurants, she is doing a great service to those of us who do not want to waste our time and money on crap.
As for little miss maria, have you been educated in France? Are you even qualified to call this woman a bitch? Could you handle the job at all?! I think you should post a picture of yourself and maybe learn a little humility before writing such ignorant dribble. You're the one who sounds like the bitch, bitch!
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