Lenore T. Adkins is a freelance food writer based in Washington, D.C., who has spent years eating her way through the District. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Food & Wine Magazine, Eater and elsewhere.
As legacy publications abandon anonymity and push critics into the spotlight, food criticism is being reshaped by visibility, platforms, and a changing relationship between expertise and trust.
From martini glasses to coupe stems, pastry chefs are borrowing from the bar to rethink dessert presentation, blending visual drama, sensory payoff, and a sense of play at the end of the meal.