Critical September 2026 update: The Food Section fields pitches by phone exclusively. Pitches submitted via email and social media will not be considered. If you have a story (as opposed to a topic!) that satisfies the below criteria, plan to call (478)339-8833 on Tuesday from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Eastern so we can talk about it.* While TFS has deactivated its longstanding pitch form, we encourage you to check out its questions before dialing in.
* We understand that window won’t work for everyone: If you absolutely can’t find 10 minutes during our office hours, email raskin@thefoodsection to arrange another time.
Updated July 2026 in accordance with cost-of-living adjustment
Updated June 2026 to incorporate examples of successful pitches.
Updated April 2026 to reflect The Food Section‘s AI policy.
Updated July 2025 in accordance with cost-of-living adjustment.
Updated July 2024 in accordance with cost-of-living adjustment.
At The Food Section, we serve eaters across the American South by providing them with the information and analysis they need to better understand and appreciate their food-and-drink experiences in our region. Or to put it another way: We break the news and tell the stories that make readers’ meals more meaningful.
Those readers are a whip-smart bunch. The Food Section each weekday lands in the inboxes of thousands of high-profile food chroniclers and everyday eaters who crave new ideas and perspectives. They’re equally interested in the joys of dining and justice for those who make such pleasure possible.
If you can answer a question on our subscribers’ minds—or, even better, coax them to question an aspect of culinary culture that they’d never previously considered—we want to hear from you.
The Food Section is actively seeking freelance contributors to add their voices to the newsletter’s mix, with a particular emphasis on reported stories that reflect the diversity of the South. We’re in the market for three types of submissions:
- In-depth features, which run about 1200 words, anchor The Food Section and advance its mission. In addition to the compelling characters and central conflict that we seek in every story, these longform stories are distinguished by extensive research, comprehensive sourcing, and on-the-ground reporting.
Otherwise, though, there’s no formula for a great TFS feature: We trust our contributors to surface surprising stories that deserve to be told. The best of those stories wring big takeaways from what’s seemingly small, whether that’s free supper at a chain motel in western North Carolina, or a neighborhood dispute over a beer bar in Lowcountry South Carolina.
Among the pitches we’ve lately loved and commissioned include the story of how a Fujianese immigrant and his American-born son separately navigated the Chinese restaurant business in Nashville, an expose of Georgia’s reliance on incarcerated laborers to produce its souvenir Governor’s honey, and a travel essay devoted to the fate of a hyperlocal side dish in the face of barbecue’s homogenization.
We pay $1,114.98 for a feature story. While we typically don’t cover expenses, if you need 50 bucks in gas money to cover something thoughtfully and thoroughly, we’re open to those conversations. - Short features, which run 500-750 words, are the midweek quick hits that focus on one new development or recent episode in Southern food culture. Like longer features, these pieces are informed and informative, but more straightforward than what our subscribers would encounter in a Monday newsletter. Some favorite shorts from 2026 include coverage of Southern food-flavored lubes issued by a Georgia adult store brand, an exploration of whether a West Virginia distillery’s claims about mine-aged whiskey are valid, and the profile of a former Atlanta weatherman who became his daughter’s go-to hair braider after taking on household challah-making duties. We pay $200 for a short feature.
- Book reviews are a recent addition to The Food Section. If you’d like to be considered for an assignment, please bypass the below pitch form and complete this application. We pay $150 for a book review, along with supplying the book.
In terms of topics, the only real limitation is geographical. Just about every story has a food angle, but for The Food Section’s purposes, that story must unfold in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia (or the northernmost reaches of Florida, which The Food Section claimed because of its sunshine laws—which ought to tip you off that The Food Section is fond of stories with hard news hooks and corroborating data.)
That said, a few types of stories aren’t appropriate for The Food Section. Foremost among them are stories which have already appeared elsewhere: Run a quick Google search to check whether your pitch is original. Helpful hint: If your pitch hinges on the supposed obscurity of Buford Highway or pawpaws, it is not original.
In fact, even stories that could appear elsewhere are relatively suspect in The Food Section’s eyes: We’re not interested in trend pieces without tension, restaurant write-ups that a publicist would be inclined to repost on Instagram, do-gooder profiles calculated to inspire, retrospectives that romanticize the past, or listicles that flatten the nuances of race, gender, class, and sexual orientation (i.e. “Meet eight great Asian-American chefs in Georgia!”) Also, The Food Section doesn’t run recipes or restaurant reviews, save for those authored by our resident restaurant reviewer, Michael Stern.
As for tone, The Food Section has taken on plenty of weighty topics, and prides itself on not shying away from challenging situations. But food is supposed to be fun: It’s OK to be playful in your approach, so long as you can maintain your authority. Good food journalism isn’t boring.
And speaking of journalism: The Food Section upholds the highest journalistic standards, including in the realm of ethics. Please review the Association of Food Journalists’ ethics code before pitching to make sure you can comply with its standards. The Food Section will not publish any reporting based on press trips, free meals, or other comps. Additionally, prospective contributors should disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including personal or professional relationships with their subjects.
- All contributors are asked to sign an agreement stipulating submitted work “is solely authored and created by Writer, and that no generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools, models, or software were used in the creation, generation, or revision of any part of the deliverables.”
In keeping with the ethics code, contributors should strive to showcase a broad range of sources in their reporting. If you plan to consult with subject matter experts, make sure your contacts represent a variety of identities and lived experiences.
The Food Section recognizes that many people interested in writing about food don’t have extensive journalism experience. If you’re concerned about your credentials or feel like you might need some help with reporting tactics, you should still pitch: What’s most important is your unique ability to tell the story you’ve uncovered and recognize why it matters now.
Finally, please read The Food Section prior to pitching. Every new reader is eligible for a money-back guarantee on subscription purchases, but if you’d rather not enter your credit card information online, you can email raskin@thefoodsection.com for a free day pass.
Ready to pitch? Talk to you Tuesday: (478)339-8833
Someone forwarded this to me and it is an amazing project! While I’m currently nowhere near this geographical location (well Japan), it sounds like something I’d love to be involved in when I get the chance to go to the American South.
I would love to find some way to collaborate but totally understand that we operate in very different areas!
I clicked the link thinking that by South you meant global South, not only the US South. Also as your vision or slogan states: “Covering food and drink across the American South” I thought you meant South America. I find it interesting that many people, writers, journalists, etc, continue to refer to America as a country, instead of the continent that it is. I have always encouraged this reflection that goes beyond mere form, even though it may seem superficial to some. Thanks for your work.
Goodness, no! Even with the help of three more journalists, covering nine states is a tall order. No way are we taking on the world!
Got it. It’s a matter of how we understand concepts. 🙂
I’m deeply interested in this. I’ve always wanted to write about the food in my area because there’s so many places that aren’t the brand franchises. (Listen, we all love a good Waffle House. They’re peak Southern but let the little guy shine some.)
As soon As I got a good subject, I think I’ll try and give pitching here a shot.
Hello! I noticed that Texas is not on here, and therefore not considered the South by your publication. While I am aware that a lot of people don’t consider Texas the South, Texas is actually a staple of Southern culture and cuisine. Texas Southern cuisine dates back to slavery, and how Black slaves created their own style of food and food-based culture due to what they weren’t allowed to eat, while they served their white slave masters. Texas is very much a part of the South, because Texas was a slave-owning state, and the last state to outlaw slavery. Texas also fought for the South and was a part of the Confederacy during the Civil War, marking its dark history, but also, solidifying it as a Southern State. The food culture in Texas is a huge staple of southern cuisine primarily due to the history and the climate here in Texas.
Yes, some parts of Texas aren’t considered ‘South’ like West Texas. However, from Forth Worth, all the way to East Texas like Marshall, Jefferson, etc, and those places closer to Louisana are most certainly considered the ‘South’.
I know that this doesn’t really mean anything, but I love publications that highlight Southern cuisine, especially as an African American woman. But when I see Texas excluded, it makes me sad because we have such a rich, vibrant Southern cuisine, and albeit a sad but very solid Southern history.
A, thanks for writing. As I’ve explained elsewhere on the site, The Food Section’s boundaries were determined in large part by the status of independent food journalism across the region.
Texas could qualify as Southern, along with Washington D.C. and Florida–although I mantain citizens of those places think of themselves as Texans, District residents, and Floridians first–but I intentionally excluded those places because they’re already served by excellent media outlets.
For example, when I ran the Dallas Observer’s food section, I was proud to publish Daniel Vaughn’s barbecue commentary, and Jose Ralat’s taco reviews. Both of those talented writers are now at Texas Monthly, continuing to serve an audience across the state (and beyond!) Happily, that’s just one of Texas’ newsrooms providing top-notch food coverage.
In short, it doesn’t make financial or editorial sense for an operation as small as The Food Section to try to compete with the Washington Post or Miami Herald. And since it’s TFS’ mission to produce rigorous and independent food journalism for eaters who need it most, our focus will remain on the states cited above.
Looks like this opportunity has my name on it.
I’ve got a fork in my right hand, a pen in my left, and an empty stomach ready to talk.
North Carolina, let’s see what you’ve got.
I’ll be submitting my pitch soon!