Who wants to be the new food critic at Westword?

Hill Scott18

When do we find out who the new critic is?

youpeoplearesofuckingignorant

all of you fucking chunks of shit that think that love to ride Sheehans balls need to seriously consider suicide...

Ross

I have to agree with some posters here. Bring back Jason. Really enjoyed his writing style

Ashley Frost

Thanks, Laura, you'll be missed! I'm hope you'll give my friend Claire Taussig a good look. She's a great writer and loves everything about food and Denver. I told her to go for this because she would be a perfect fit. She currently writes her own blog for fun about everything Denver, including restaurants. I think you'll be impressed and be happy with handing over your reigns to her. I hope the best for you in NYC!

Theonegordo

Who the hell is Brandi Stanley?

Pdillavou

WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO! PEACE!

Matt vassal

Well I definitely want to be the new restaurant critic and i will be sending in sample reviews, my resume, and letters of reccomendation.

go to hell

I will tell you who the next lame ass, worthless, wannabe, bullshit "food critic" should be...NO ONE! Because absolutely no one has any fucking qualifications to be a fucking food critic...it's just some obnoxious JOURNALIST with no talent. It's some spoiled assholes opinion...neato. I would never want to be in the same pathetic ranks as "Shunk the Chump" AND PUSSY ASS BITCH JASON SHEEHAN (so glad THAT piece of shit left Denver)...two of the most pathetic, annoying, non-talented writers in the history of journalism (hope your diet failed and your a fat ass again Shunk!) ...fuck off Westword and get rid of your so called "food critic" position, it's absolutely worthless....Denver has become an amazing food city and your bullshit, egotistic, uncredible, chunks of shit journalists do nothing but ruin it! Fuck you. Kathleen St. John, The Onion, and "Strange Lunch" know how to do a REAL food column and do it RIGHT!!! But I know how hard it is for Westword to do things right. Do something original you fucking pussies. You fucking people suck at your jobs...

Lee

Take a valium.

Jenn of the Berries

@d0eec76cc4ab63c15e9b3d4fe67ec8c4:disqus : Do you kiss my mother with that mouth?

go to hell

Goddamn straight I do bitch, Jenn of the Dingleberries...

Jenn of the Berries

@d0eec76cc4ab63c15e9b3d4fe67ec8c4:disqus : You sure are a charmer! ::Back off ladies--I saw him first!::

TRUE WORDS

Hire someone that actually knows food and can write decently, I'm sure you can find someone from Metro or maybe UCD.

Katy

Two words: Brandi Stanley. You're welcome, America.

Lemonsandoranges

From Brandi Stanley's "review" of the gyros truck Mo mentioned below:

"But what made today great is all kinds of happy, happy dairy. After taking in all my choices, I was craving Greek. Which means I landed in the lovely hands of Brenda behind the counter of the Mythos truck. I love myself a good gyro and went with the traditional version made with lamb. Best part about it? They didn’t skimp on the feta. Something magical happens to feta when the heat from its surrounding food makes it melt just enough to create something in between a liquid and a solid. (Daily sciencey-talk: check.)'

Sorry people, but if you think this is good food writing, you're obviously a Yelper.

rain

The About Page for the site where Ms Stanley wrote that says that the folks over there are Not Critics. Further, it says "We follow our mama’s school of thought: If we can’t say something nice, we won’t say anything at all."

Ok. I'll take their word for it. They do what they do.

My opinion about the Westword position: I want them to hire a critic that is fair, fearless, honest, and knowledgeable about food, restaurants, service, and more. If a place has terrible food and crap service, we need to know. If a place is mediocre or a place is great, we need to know that, too.

Mo Smith

Westword needs to hire a critic with an arsenal of descriptive words at his or her disposal such as "yummy," "nom nom," and "meh," as they are completely underutilized in online amateur food and wine journalism. Additionally, if the critic could post all of their pictures using Instagram's sepia filter, that would be bad-ass.

Brandi Stanley

Totally fair. I still cringe at that post.

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Ann

Brandi Stanley has a hell of a large family!!

Annaston

Congrats on your new adventure, Laura! I know just the girl to fill your shoes...Brandi Stanley. This girl is not only funny, witty, and incredibly creative and talented, she's CRAZY about food! She loves trying new foods, new places, seeking out hidden gems, and sharing her culinary passion over a table or the web! Whether she is eating her way through Europe, Chicago (her "To-Do" list upon visiting me in Chicago consisted nearly completely of restaurants), or Denver (which she considers hands-down the best city in the best state in the country), I get to live vicariously through Brandi's frequent postings, Instagrams, and statuses sharing about all the yummy food she's eating. I could not more whole-heartedly believe Brandi is the right girl for the job!

Aud

I've enjoyed Laura's stuff. Sad she is leaving Denver, but wish her the very best in NYC.

Ryan Linstrom

Brandi Stanley's food reviews and posting have caused me to drool on my keyboard more times than I care to admit ( while making me wish I still lived in Denver). You should hire her so she can buy me a replacement keyboard.

Louisepwo

Brandi Stanley. Because she instagrams more pictures of food than anyone I know!

Fran_Chesco

I just got back from NY & the food scene there is incredible! Puts Denver to shame!

The Truth

You are an idiot Fran_Chesco, I would hope they have a better culinary scene with what 20 million more people? Go back to New York and eat a bagel

Mo Smith

Did you folks at Westword hear that Brandi Stanley cured arare form of cancer in a group of Himalayan village children with the sheerpower of her words in her review of a gyros truck?

Brandi Stanley

I heard those same Himalayan children later developed a severe dairy intolerance and sent hate mail her way in the form of spoiled milk. Horrible PR fiasco.

Carrie

Have you talked with Brandi Stanley yet? She has an energy for Denver food like I've never seen!!

Pete - Denver

Brandi Stanley. She's like a divining rod for discovering tantalizing tastebud experiences.

Concerned citizen

Kazia Jankowski anyone? She used to be the food critic for 5280.

timbrauhn

Good work, Laura. LISTEN UP Westword - you'll be hearing from a Brandi Stanley soon enough. You're going to hire her. She will change the face of food critiquing. She has weapons skills.

Mntnman

Laura, we will miss you and good luck. (Ignore people who have nothing better to do than post hateful comments. I guess any writer with a "comment" section gets good at ignoring these.)

steveville

We need Jason Sheehan back here. He has a real good following in Seattle, but belongs back here in Denver.

Elwood

Is that the same following that pretty much cheered in unison when he left Seattle over a YEAR ago?

Bagwhan

Yeah, based on comments on the Weekly online, he was never very loved. But then again, his reviews here spawned many hateful comments yet most people seemed to be bummed when he left. I have no idea what the real Seattle opinion of him was, you surely can't find that out reading these comments.

I think Lori was decent, but I still miss Jason, and would love to have him back here, but Philly seems to have him in its grips.

Dseptecon

You should definitely consider Jake Browne. He's an amazing writer; funny and informative. He's got an award or two under his belt, as well.

epl

You forgot two musts for any candidate:

1. overuse of adjectives that usually add nothing to the review (and ability to navigate a thesaurus; and

2. the mindset that simply telling the reader how an ingredient is applied is somehow a substitute for telling the reader what the ingredient actually does to the dish in question.

Denveater

Personally, I love writing that isn't dumbed down. God forbid anyone should have to learn a new word, right?

I'll miss Laura; she always seemed to be having fun, a key piece of the puzzle that so many food writers manage to lose.

Here's a vote for Mantonat.

EDIT: And another for Denver on a Spit.

Rocky Mountain Oyster

I second the vote for Denver on a Spit.

Try-harder-this-time

Jason Sheehan. Oh, wait...

But seriously, Jason left huge shoes to fill and Laura was lackluster at best. Her writing was pedestrian and while I'm no expert foodie, her columns rarely left me with a sense of what the food actually, well, tasted like.

Laura, you're a sweet girl, but Ms. Calhoun puh-lease do a better job this time.

AFluffyWaffle

still bummed you didn't get the job last time, eh? maybe this time you can funnel that troll power into becoming better at writing

eyeroll

Poor Laura never had a chance. She's the Brian Griese of Denver food writing.

The Honest Mom

I think Westword should fly Jason out for one weekend each month so he can eat himself sick and turn in 4 reviews, but that's just because I could really use a break from him now and then.