don't hate me because i'm a food blogger! (chefs bite back, seattle met)

I don't typically pick up Seattle Met magazine (I'm a loyal subscriber of Seattle magazine), but I was standing in line at the grocery store and was lured in by its 25 Best Restaurants list. I got home and immediately started reading, but to be honest, I was a bit bored by this uninspired list. It called out the usual big names including Canlis, Rover's, Mistral Kitchen, Tilth, Crush, Poppy, and The Herbfarm, as well as a few of the newer spots like Sushi Kappo Tamura, Revel, The Book Bindery, The Coterie Room, and Staple and Fancy. But what really caught my attention was the related piece titled Chefs Bite Back.

Chefs Bite Back: Seattle Met (November 2011)

A fun read, Chefs Bite Back anonymously polls local chefs and restauranteurs about their opinions on all things related to the Seattle restaurant scene. Most overrated restauranteur? 28% Tom Douglas (but he was also named a better restaurant titan than Ethan Stowell by a landslide). Seattle vs. Portland? 76% Seattle. I particularly love the quote about Restaurant Week and Dine Around Seattle. "25% loathe 'em: 'It's dumbing down your food for people who don't want to spend the money.'"

However, the part that stuck out to me was the chefs' and restauranteurs' thoughts on bloggers. A couple of them questioned the credibility of everyday food critics, both bloggers and Yelpers (valid), while another simply pointed out that it's nice to have so much excitement about food. But then there was thing about bloggers and free food. One restauranteur said, "It's really funny, people come into restaurants and tell you they're going to blog about you and they're hoping for free stuff." Another talked about a table of bloggers who happily announced that they were restaurant bloggers so they could get free food. Identify myself to get free food? That just seems silly and unproductive. Although I'm still working on my stealth photography skills, it seems to me that the best way to review a restaurant is to experience it as a regular diner / secret reviewer. Alert the server that you're writing a review, and s/he's bound to treat you differently. Haven't you seen Ratatouille?

Anyway, if any of you restauranteurs come across my blog, here are a few things you should know about me / my blog:

• My qualifications are simply that I love food. Also, I am into the details. 
• I don't want free food or special service, but I do hope you have good food and good service. Good dessert would be icing on the cake.
• I hope my blog gets people out and eating delicious food.
• I also hope my blog gets people to wear pretty shoes.