Restaurant critic’s departure reveals potential hazards of the job

AP Business Writer

Restaurant critics appear to have the best job in journalism, enjoying meals a few nights a week on someone else’s dime. But New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells is painting a more complicated picture. In a recent column, Wells announced he’s leaving the beat because the constant eating has led to obesity and other health problems. To write a review, critics usually make two or three visits to a restaurant so they can taste as many dishes as possible. And restaurant food tends to contain higher than ideal levels of salt and saturated fat, according to a 2020 study by Tufts University.