Elazar Sontag, the new food critic at The Washington Post, talks with NPR’s Morning Edition about ending anonymity and rethinking how restaurant criticism can feel more accessible.
Sara Merg
hide caption
toggle caption
Sara Merg
Elazar Sontag chose a unique location for our first lunch meeting, leading us to a church cafeteria near Mt. Vernon Square, reflecting his vision for food criticism in Washington. Sontag recently took over as the food critic for The Washington Post, succeeding Tom Sietsema after 25 years in the role.
Having previously served as the restaurant editor for Bon Appétit, Sontag arrived in Washington with a fresh perspective, deciding to abandon anonymity and reintroduce the star rating system. These changes, he explains, are not only generational but also practical in nature.
“My main goal is to make restaurant criticism more accessible to a wider audience,” Sontag explained. “This involves utilizing different platforms, which is difficult to achieve without revealing your identity.”
During a recent interview with Morning Edition, held at Saint’s Paradise Cafeteria at The United House of Prayer for All People, Sontag shared insights from his experiences at the bustling community space, renowned for its soul food.
“The unique qualities of this place elevate it to the level of the most prestigious restaurants in the city,” he noted. “It’s a true piece of living history.”
For the full interview, click on the blue button above.
This interview was produced by Kaity Kline, Julie Depenbrock, and Ava Pukatch. The digital version was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
