I've launched a newsletter on Substack where I am talking about Chicago restaurants.
The Kittchen launched in 2011. It started off as just recipes and has evolved. Now I talk about travel, home decor, Chicago, and more. One thing that I used to cover was Chicago restaurants. Exploring Chicago restaurants is something I love. I truly think that Chicago is the best food city in the country.
In the early years of The Kittchen, I would write long-form restaurant reviews (most have been deleted since restaurants have closed and decade old reviews aren't helpful). But as social media became the place for restaurant content, and as The Kittchen's audience grew beyond Chicago, I stopped writing that content. One reason was that I found some of the Chicago food Instagram influencers had sketchy ethics (you can read more about that here and here).
Instead of writing restaurant reviews, I would mention restaurants in Chicago travel guides and round-ups. And, I continued to share restaurants I love on social media. Sometimes restaurants would invite me to openings, events, or offer me a free meal. Usually, I decline, and on the occasion I accepted, I disclosed that situation (as you are legally supposed to per the FTC's dot com disclosures). I do not partner with restaurants and do not accept payment in exchange for restaurant posts. That has never felt ethical. Payment creates a conflict of interest that makes it hard to be honest. Restaurants should be recommended because they have earned it. Not because they paid for it.
I've watched as social media has become more popular, Chicago food blogs have disappeared, and dozens of Chicago food Instagram and TikTok accounts have popped up. Some recommendations have been questionable. Partnerships are rarely disclosed. Still, most influencers claim they do what they do because they love supporting local businesses and aren't in it for the money.
Fast forward to last summer. My friends opened a restaurant, and I gave them a list of local influencers. A free meal in exchange for coverage is common, but it was immediately clear that most people wanted a free meal and a fee. I was disappointed to hear this. Not only is there a lack of honest dining recommendations, but I also found that the blogs that used to cover the Chicago dining scene had all disappeared.
I'd been considering getting back into covering Chicago dining, and the final push came from an unexpected source. Last month, Michael Nagrant, the former food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, published an article titled Eat, Pay, Love! by Earnest Graham (no relation). The article exposed how Chicago food influencers share recommendations not out of genuine appreciation, but because they are paid to do so.
The method for researching the Chicago food influencer's honesty was to send an email from a fake restaurant requesting their collaboration rates. In total, 48 influencers were emailed. I was one of just three who declined, and the only one who flat-out said that I don't partner with restaurants. The others? They requested fees and, in some cases, nearly guaranteed a favorable review.
The most shocking part? Many of the influencers defended themselves, saying that they aren't critics giving recommendations but rather a marketing platform selling advertisements.
My response was to create a place for honest recommendations. It's called I'll Be Honest . . . and the primary focus is Chicago dining, but I also share other recommendations. This post about the Best and Worst of 2025 discusses skincare, things to do in Chicago, and travel, in addition to restaurants. I'd love it if you would give it a read.
Thank you!
And don't worry - The Kittchen will continue on! I just think it makes sense for Chicago dining to exist in a separate, more casual space.
