Break into the delicious world of food journalism

3 Weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

Build the knowledge and skills necessary to turn your foodie enthusiasm into a paid side hustle.

Course overview

Your Playbook on Landing Your First Food Journalism Piece

For many folks, food journalism is a dream job. What most don't realize is that it's extremely realistic to live the dream (at least part-time).


This course will arm you with the knowledge on pitching your story ideas then guidance on how to write your first piece. Not only that, you will put those newly-learned skills to practice with my guidance and coaching.

Who is this course for

01

Anyone with an interest in writing for food media - whether its focused on reviews, industry news, or thought pieces.

02

Those ready to take action. The main objective of this course is for students to actually email their pitches to real publications.

03

This course is not intended to advise anyone on how to land a full-time food editor job but those interested in this being a side hobby.

What you’ll get out of this course

Your first pitch to food media

After learning what, who, and how to pitch we'll spend a week actually crafting real pitches for you to send out into the world.

Confidence in how to navigate your first interview

Interviews are the cornerstone of journalism. You'll learn what you must and should do for successful source interviews.

A breakdown of the journalist's toolbox

As with all professions, there are technologies and tools that make the job much easier. You'll be provided with a PDF list of all my recommendations so you can hit the ground running.

Confidence and expertise in navigating the food media landscape

I'll be your seasoned expert and coach available to provide feedback on pitches, answer your questions, and provide guidance on now just how to land your first pitch but execute on it.

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Break into the delicious world of food journalism

Course syllabus

Week 1

Oct 17—Oct 22
    Nothing scheduled for this week

Week 2

Oct 23—Oct 29
    Nothing scheduled for this week

Week 3

Oct 30—Nov 2
    Nothing scheduled for this week
Free resource

Beginner's Hotlist: Your Go-To Food Media Pitch Checklist

Navigating the world of freelance food journalism can sometimes feel like a maze, especially when it comes to pinpointing the right people to pitch.


Pitching is 25% of the job and it's an opaque process for beginners, especially those without formal journalism training.


Our meticulously crafted checklist is here to demystify the process. With it, you'll learn to identify the right contacts in the food media sphere, ensuring that your efforts are directed toward individuals genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

Get this free checklist

Meet your instructor

Helen Xu

Helen Xu

Freelance Food Journalist

I was a 28-year-old engineer when I decided I wanted a creative outlet writing for food media. With no formal journalism degree and no connections I was able to establish myself in the Denver food scene.


I've written for 5280 Magazine, eHow, Wine4Food, and now am a regular contributor for Westword.


I love teaching and creating community around food, and I want to help others accomplish their goal of getting published faster than I did, while skipping some of my mistakes.

A pattern of wavy dots

Be the first to know about upcoming cohorts

Break into the delicious world of food journalism

Learning is better with cohorts

Learning is better with cohorts

Active hands-on learning

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Interactive and project-based

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Learn with a cohort of peers

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you