How to Pitch People & Food

We champion small food businesses and the people who operate them

Hey, this is Rob Martinez. Thanks for considering People & Food as a publisher of your work, I appreciate it.

What is People & Food?

People & Food is—for now—a publication where 90% of subscribers have been referred from my video work. I hope it becomes, instead, a home for a diverse set of writers and readers who believe in championing small food businesses from around the world and the people who operate them. The mission is to change where folks choose to eat: away from the moneyed-up groups with PR companies and influencer dollars, and towards the mom-and-pops that instill pride in our communities.

Because of the strong association with my work, I encourage you to take a look at some of my more popular videos to get a sense of what folks expect of People & Food. I believe they expect the following:

• Deeper stories that others are not covering, like the whole lamb in New Paltz or the challenges a grocer faced while offering relief to SNAP recipients

• A focus on not just the newer spots, but the places that have been holding it down for years, like Brennan & Carr in Brooklyn and Gregory’s Gourmet Desserts in Oakland

• Direct quotes and insights from chefs, cooks, and restaurateurs. I am unlikely to publish a piece that doesn’t include interviews as part of the reporting.

• Useful observations about trends that others haven’t noticed. For example, I thought it was worth writing about black al pastor when it arrived in New York.

• Stories about not just chefs but artisans and experts in the food world, like my story about Aqua Best.

• Updates from the community. My network of chefs and business owners is open to you, and I will be working with them to develop recipes and share more of their stories.

In short, your pitch should be a good story about food that includes primary sources, ideally that others haven’t noticed yet. Our tagline is Food is Personal. Some keywords I use for my work are urgency, tension, pride, and usefulness.

We Pay Writers

Not as much as I would like, but please keep in mind I did not raise $2 million dollars. We pay from our subscription revenue, so please subscribe and share!

Here are some of the more pragmatic details on pitching:

• Our current rate is $.50/word (as of 01/01/26), and writers should also take quality photos. I am always happy to shoot photos myself if available and necessary.

• Please include your ideal headline in your pitch.

• Writers should not write about PR meals. Nothing against restaurants with PR, but I am looking for contributors who seek out their stories.

• Our audience is majority US-based, so stories are prioritized with that in mind.

• I am also open to weekly or monthly series.

• Please email all pitches to pitches@peopleandfood.com

Thanks again for your interest, I am looking forward to adding a lot of contributors to People & Food in 2026 and beyond!

- Rob Martinez