“The Way We Eat Now”

When deciding on a new regular column, an editor has to be sure that it is not going to run out of ideas anytime soon. An old boss of mine, when I was pitching to have a weekly slot myself, said “Well, Lisa, everyone can write two or three good columns…” 

Luckily food is a subject for which there are always ideas to write about, from new trends to championing innovators, laments for places, people and things that have gone and sometimes just a wry look at what’s on our plates.

I’ve noticed this because I’ve tasked Telegraph writer Ed Cumming with the launch of a new column in The Telegraph Magazine called “The way we eat now” and we’ve already between us come up with enough topics to last months. His first, published last Saturday, was on the rise and rise of bowls. It certainly got a big reaction from readers.

The sweet spot is finding a subject that will chime with them but also, as the column name suggests, reflect what’s happening now. A lot of food content in newspapers now is either recipes, reviews or the occasional news story about how a chocolate bar is out of fashion (remember that one?) or some other confected controversy.

Ed is very sensibly calling for all – particularly PRs – to get in touch with him to tell him what’s, er, cooking. That’s a great way for him to see where trends and moods are moving, find surveys to unpick and more. You have been told!