Apr 12, 2022

Hearst is Seeking For The Next Star Food Reporter at San Francisco Chronicle

Hearst is Looking For The Next Star Food Reporter For San Francisco Chronicle

The Chronicle food team’s mission is to provide the most engaging and influential coverage of the Bay Area’s food and drink culture, one of the most dynamic in the country. The team reports with accuracy and depth, tells stories through vivid and entertaining language, and critiques with insight and flair. It breaks news — then pulls off in-depth coverage of trends, people, and issues. The team also knows how to make our audiences salivate. A deep love of all things food and drink, and the joy these can bring, informs our coverage.

The Food Reporter is a journalist who has their finger on the pulse of the Bay Area’s food and wine scene, with a nose for scoops on the most compelling new food businesses, a knack for cultivating sources who can speak to new developments in the region’s beloved existing businesses (including when those spots close), and an eye for trends that impact how we eat and drink. This versatile journalist knows how to report and write accurately on deadline — and can produce longer-term, engrossing profiles or narratives about happenings in the food and wine world, as well as occasional guides on the best that the Bay Area has to offer.

San Francisco Chronicle is seeking a self-starter with high standards who has excellent communication skills, is comfortable providing and taking feedback, is committed to inclusive journalism, and wants to own the stories that matter most.

What You Will Do

Report and write stories about food and drink openings, closings, trends, and other happenings for SFChronicle.com and The San Francisco Chronicle.
Cover the Bay Area’s food tech and innovation industry, from lab-grown meat to seaweed bacon.
Develop ambitious enterprise stories and deeply reported features that tell stories about the Bay Area through the lens of food.
Cultivate sources in the Bay Area’s food and drink world for scoops, including (but not exclusive to) how social media plays a role in the scene.
Collaborate with the rest of the newsroom for photography, design, and digital publishing schedules.
Work with the rest of the food team on group projects about the dining scene.
Help produce food stories online, including writing for off-platform venues such as social media and newsletters.

What It Will Take To Be Successful

At least three years of experience in a modern newsroom or a related work environment.
Strong news judgment, creativity and meticulousness.
Ability to break news about the food and drink industry in the Bay Area.
Experience developing a beat and sources.
Ability to report stories and write quickly while keeping the strictest commitment to fairness and accuracy.
Passion for food and drink.
Knowledge of multimedia storytelling, social media engagement and other strategies to broaden readership.
Ability to collaborate with all newsroom teams and work in a fast-changing news environment.

Requirements