Welcome to the 2nd “We’re Booked” episode of Maître  d’ Diaries, a front of the house restaurant industry podcast.

On our “We’re Booked” episodes we chat with authors who write about restaurants and restaurant life, and the specialty book sellers who collect and curate the books we long to own and read. 

This episode we welcome food writer, author, and entrepreneur Leslie Brenner. 

Leslie has won two James Beard Awards, published five food & beverage oriented books, and an award-winning novel. She has been the food editor at The LA Times, restaurant critic and dining editor at The Dallas Morning News, and writes the award-winning Substack and Websites, Cooks Without Borders. 

Join us as we discuss what it’s been like writing about food for decades, researching trends, working with chefs and restaurateurs, and the need to constantly reinvent yourself as a journalist and f & b professional. 

You’ll hear the stories behind her books: 

~ Fear of Wine, (Bantam, 1995) Illustrated by Wall Street Journal Wine Columnist, Lettie Teague

~ American Appetite: The Coming of Age of a Cuisine (Avon Books, 1999)   

~ The Fourth Star: Dispatches from Inside Daniel Boulud’s Celebrated New York Restaurant (Clarkson Potter, 2002) 

Along with: 

~ Her favorite new wine book

~ Tips for aspiring food writers

~ All the different tricks and costumes a restaurant reviewer has up their sleeve

~ How good restaurant criticism can contribute to the quality of a city’s dining scene

~ The importance of anonymity for food critics today

~ Why she thinks a star system in restaurant reviewing is a good thing

~ Anticipating impact of the Michelin Guide coming to Texas