Establishing strong bonds with the food journalists covering your culinary and hospitality topics boosts the likelihood of gaining media exposure.
However, breaking through the noise and getting noticed by the UK’s top food journalists is no small feat. With countless pitches competing for attention, standing out requires a strategic approach—and it all begins with research.
Food PR Matters
Food, drink and catering are growing sectors in the UK, and to navigate the selection of brands or to find the best place to eat out, people trust the features published in both online and offline publications.
These articles, features and placements shape consumer perceptions, influencing their decision making and can paint your brand in a positive light
And, as a PR, you rely on food journalists to help you get in front of readers, secure regular media coverage, and connect with your audience in a meaningful, trusted way.
For that, you need a good network of writers and editors you can approach with pitches and get your brand regularly mentioned in the media.
Get Noticed by Food Journalists: Overcome 3 Challenges
Top food journalists receive hundreds of pitches each week, so securing their interest demands more than just a compelling story. It requires precision, relevance, and a tailored approach.
1. Approach The Right Food Journalists
The foundation to build and nurture these relationships is to research thoroughly who covers what: which food journalists write about your specific topic. This ensures your pitches are relevant and more likely to be featured in your target publication. You can pinpoint the right journalists by using PR Media Database tools, that are updated regularly and offer accurate info.
2. Making Your Pitch Compelling
Don’t just pitch facts, weave the information into a compelling story people want to read. Don’t forget the high-quality visuals to accompany your pitch. You can also offer a new angle to a recurring or trending topic. Food journalists also like statistics and data to support evidence and give more weight to information. If you have an expert on a specific topic who can offer insights, include a quote from them.
3. Connect When Not Pitching
Interact with food journalists outside of work:
- Follow them on social media and share their articles your connections might like.
- Participate in networking events and introduce yourself personally
Nurturing Relationships with Food Journalists: Gain Competitive Advantage
Building connections with food journalists, helps you become their go-to PR, meaning they will contact you for stories, or your pitches will more likely be accepted.
Established relationships help:
- Increased media exposure: Strong relationships make journalists more likely to consider and cover your stories.
- Boost credibility: Position your brand as a trusted source for reliable information.
- Stronger brand visibility: Effective journalist engagement ensures your messages reach the right audience through the best media channels.
- Long-term collaboration: A positive connection can lead to ongoing opportunities for features, interviews, and exclusives.
List of Top 10 UK Food & Drink Journalists to Follow
*The journalist’s job title and publication are correct as of January 2025.
- Xanthe Clay, Freelance Food Writer for The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph
- Jay Rayner, Columnist, The Observer Food Monthly
- Cassie Best, Food Director, Good Food Magazine
- Mike Daw, Freelance Journalist, The London Standard
- Kate Krader, Food Editor, Bloomberg
- Emma Hatfield, Health Editor, Good Food Magazine
- Hannah Twiggs, Commissioning Editor, The Independent
- Louella Berryman, Cookery Editor and Food Writer, Hearst Magazine
- Clare Finney, Freelance Journalist
- Ellie Smith, Deputy Editor, Country and House
Xanthe Clay, Freelance Food Writer for The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph
Xanthe, a freelancer journalist since 1999, writes about the food, food industry and recipes for The Daily and Sunday Telegraph.

Sectors
- Consumer Goods Food and Drink
Publications
Jay Rayner, Columnist, The Observer
Jay is an award-winning writer, journalist and broadcaster. He is a features writer for The Observer and a restaurant critic.

Sectors
- Restaurant Reviews
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink
Publications
Cassie Best, Food Director, Good Food Magazine
Cassie has been working as Food Director for Good Food Magazine since 2020, where she mainly focuses on dishes and recipes.

Sectors
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink
Publications
Mike Daw, Freelance Journalist, The London Standard
Mike writes the weekend guide pieces for The London Standard, and he also does freelance work.

Top Stories
Sectors
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink
Publications
Kate Krader, Food Editor, Bloomberg
Kate covers food, including restaurants, top chefs and food travel destinations.

Top Stories
Sectors
- Consumer Lifestyle
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink
Publications
Emma Hartfield, Health Editor, Good Food Magazine
Emma Hartfield is the Health Editor at Good Food and Olive. She has 24 years of experience writing for health and food magazines and newspapers. She oversees all health, nutrition and fitness-related content at the desk.

Hannah Twiggs, Commissioning Editor, The Independent
Hannah is the Editor for The Independent’s Food and Drink section, the IndyEats magazine, and she also works as the Editorial Lead for commercial wine content, commissioning, editing and writing food and drinks news, features, opinion pieces and restaurant reviews and guides.

Top Stories
Sectors
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink
Publications
Louella Berryman, Cookery Editor and Food Writer, Hearst UK
Louella covers everything from how to host a dinner party to the latest research on fermented foods and gut health.

Top Stories
Sectors
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink
Publications
- Hearst Titles
- Red
- Women’s Health
- Cosmopolitan
Clare Finney, Freelance Journalist
Clare freelances for various titles, such as The Times, Guardian, Vogue, Telegraph, iPaper, Evening Standard, Delicious Magazine, BBC Good Food, and Foodism.

Sectors
- Consumer Lifestyle
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink
Publications
Ellie Smith, Deputy Editor, Country and House
Ellie is C&TH’s Deputy Online Editor, covering topics surrounding health and well-being, food and drink, culture and entertainment.

Top Stories
Sectors
- Consumer Lifestyle
- Consumer Goods and Food & Drink