Tom Sietsema is stepping down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Because he played more into a "personality" of reviewing food and restaurants than actually reviewing them. He loved roasting really great restaurants or tried and true ones even if they were not Michelin star worthy, because there is a restaurant world in DC and it's not just a review but about what parties he would get invited to and the buzz he would create in the community.

Have you ever been to a restaurant that he gave 0 stars to? Did they really deserve 0 stars. No, many times no, that is the answer btw. It could just because he didn't get an invite to a party in DC. And guess what, you didn't go because of his need for attention instead of a real review.

This sounds exactly like something a failed food critic would say.

Anonymous wrote: Happy now.

No. That was a Zero Star response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He’s terrible.. my husband used to read him religiously, and we would choose restaurants based on it.

One day, I told him to pick three restaurants that he said were terrible. We went to see for ourselves and they were fine to actually fabulous.

I feel like people who like him are the same people that love real housewives.

Name the restaurants.

Equinox was one.

And that “everything taste like curry”about one of the Indian restaurants.

Omg--that was the worst. Tom is from the generation of critics who referred to Asian food as "exotic."

You and the other PP are ridiculous and ignorant. You are talking about Gene Weingarten and the column that ended his career at the Post. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/washington-post-column-disparaged-indian-food-prompts-backlash-correction-apology-n1277698

Tom Sietsema would never!

Hilarious that people are confusing Weingarten with Sietsema

Hilarious that you think there are more than 500 people in the region who even care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, its been 25 years or so, a pretty long run. I think Covid would have driven away most critics, much less the current political situation in DC.

Thanks for your work Tom.

People stuck in the service industry hate their lives (and make that obvious) and every restaurant is serving the same heated up Sysco products with varying levels of atmosphere, hype, and vibe to get you buzzed up and con you out of varying levels of money. If it's on the company card, sure, swipe away, otherwise it's all such a scam.

Girl you need to go to mom and pops.

It's all nonsense. Once you have kids all of the foodie crap is just laughably silly. Mindless consumerism and low-key binge drinking to fill the boring void in your life. Being obsessed with restaurants and finding status in having been to and name checking "hot" restaurants is just so vapid and sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why? Why is he stepping down?

Maybe because things are going out of business

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, its been 25 years or so, a pretty long run. I think Covid would have driven away most critics, much less the current political situation in DC.

Thanks for your work Tom.

People stuck in the service industry hate their lives (and make that obvious) and every restaurant is serving the same heated up Sysco products with varying levels of atmosphere, hype, and vibe to get you buzzed up and con you out of varying levels of money. If it's on the company card, sure, swipe away, otherwise it's all such a scam.

Girl you need to go to mom and pops.

It's all nonsense. Once you have kids all of the foodie crap is just laughably silly. Mindless consumerism and low-key binge drinking to fill the boring void in your life. Being obsessed with restaurants and finding status in having been to and name checking "hot" restaurants is just so vapid and sad.

Why the heck are you in this thread if you're above it all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, its been 25 years or so, a pretty long run. I think Covid would have driven away most critics, much less the current political situation in DC.

Thanks for your work Tom.

People stuck in the service industry hate their lives (and make that obvious) and every restaurant is serving the same heated up Sysco products with varying levels of atmosphere, hype, and vibe to get you buzzed up and con you out of varying levels of money. If it's on the company card, sure, swipe away, otherwise it's all such a scam.

Girl you need to go to mom and pops.

It's all nonsense. Once you have kids all of the foodie crap is just laughably silly. Mindless consumerism and low-key binge drinking to fill the boring void in your life. Being obsessed with restaurants and finding status in having been to and name checking "hot" restaurants is just so vapid and sad.

Why the heck are you in this thread if you're above it all?

Brunch Granny is everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, its been 25 years or so, a pretty long run. I think Covid would have driven away most critics, much less the current political situation in DC.

Thanks for your work Tom.

People stuck in the service industry hate their lives (and make that obvious) and every restaurant is serving the same heated up Sysco products with varying levels of atmosphere, hype, and vibe to get you buzzed up and con you out of varying levels of money. If it's on the company card, sure, swipe away, otherwise it's all such a scam.

Girl you need to go to mom and pops.

It's all nonsense. Once you have kids all of the foodie crap is just laughably silly. Mindless consumerism and low-key binge drinking to fill the boring void in your life. Being obsessed with restaurants and finding status in having been to and name checking "hot" restaurants is just so vapid and sad.

Why the heck are you in this thread if you're above it all?

Brunch Granny is everywhere.

OMG I had almost forgotten about Brunch Granny!

[Anonymous]

Since I live in the far exburbs, I rarely eat at any of the restaurants reviewed by Sietsrma. I still enjoyed his column and found his chats interesting. He seemed to put a lot of effort into interacting with his readers. Also, he was quite the wordsmith and I enjoyed his descriptive writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, its been 25 years or so, a pretty long run. I think Covid would have driven away most critics, much less the current political situation in DC.

Thanks for your work Tom.

People stuck in the service industry hate their lives (and make that obvious) and every restaurant is serving the same heated up Sysco products with varying levels of atmosphere, hype, and vibe to get you buzzed up and con you out of varying levels of money. If it's on the company card, sure, swipe away, otherwise it's all such a scam.

Girl you need to go to mom and pops.

It's all nonsense. Once you have kids all of the foodie crap is just laughably silly. Mindless consumerism and low-key binge drinking to fill the boring void in your life. Being obsessed with restaurants and finding status in having been to and name checking "hot" restaurants is just so vapid and sad.

I worked in restaurants in college and continued to moonlight as a host/bartender into my mid-twenties. I was very into the restaurant scene for a long time as it was fun to try new, buzzy places, or to see where former coworkers landed as they moved up in the restaurant ranks. With a 'big job' and two kids, I rarely go out to eat anymore, even more rarely to 'hot spots' or true fine dining establishments, but it's hardly because I think it's "vapid and sad", I just don't have the time or disposable income to truly enjoy it. For many people, it's a hobby, not a status symbol, and I think Tom Sietsema's (mostly excellent, detailed) reviews largely catered to fellow hobbyists. I'm not surprised he's finally parting ways with WaPo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good, time for a fresh perspective!

agree. he's a bit of a jerk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, its been 25 years or so, a pretty long run. I think Covid would have driven away most critics, much less the current political situation in DC.

Thanks for your work Tom.

People stuck in the service industry hate their lives (and make that obvious) and every restaurant is serving the same heated up Sysco products with varying levels of atmosphere, hype, and vibe to get you buzzed up and con you out of varying levels of money. If it's on the company card, sure, swipe away, otherwise it's all such a scam.

Girl you need to go to mom and pops.

It's all nonsense. Once you have kids all of the foodie crap is just laughably silly. Mindless consumerism and low-key binge drinking to fill the boring void in your life. Being obsessed with restaurants and finding status in having been to and name checking "hot" restaurants is just so vapid and sad.

I worked in restaurants in college and continued to moonlight as a host/bartender into my mid-twenties. I was very into the restaurant scene for a long time as it was fun to try new, buzzy places, or to see where former coworkers landed as they moved up in the restaurant ranks. With a 'big job' and two kids, I rarely go out to eat anymore, even more rarely to 'hot spots' or true fine dining establishments, but it's hardly because I think it's "vapid and sad", I just don't have the time or disposable income to truly enjoy it. For many people, it's a hobby, not a status symbol, and I think Tom Sietsema's (mostly excellent, detailed) reviews largely catered to fellow hobbyists. I'm not surprised he's finally parting ways with WaPo.

It’s 10000% a status thing with people obsessed with that scene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He’s terrible.. my husband used to read him religiously, and we would choose restaurants based on it.

One day, I told him to pick three restaurants that he said were terrible. We went to see for ourselves and they were fine to actually fabulous.

I feel like people who like him are the same people that love real housewives.

Name the restaurants.

Equinox was one.

And that “everything taste like curry”about one of the Indian restaurants.

Omg--that was the worst. Tom is from the generation of critics who referred to Asian food as "exotic."

💯 His favorite restaurant in Fairfax County is Curry Mantra. That says so much to me about his taste in "ethnic food" as he likes to call all food that isn't traditional/American/European.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh my god, good riddance!! He's become worse and worse every year.

Provide examples. Be specific.

Who even subscribes to the Washington Post anymore? Everyone I know that worked there has left in the past two years. Tom is leaving for the same reason so much of the staff has left in the past year. And it's not because he thinks it's time for new adventures, LOL!

That’s nice but what does this mean?

“He's become worse and worse every year.”

Worse how? Does he write things and not explain what they mean, because yes that”s poor criticism.

Honestly I don’t think this is worth fighting over. It is ok if a person doesn’t like Tom Sietsema.

Of course it's ok to not like Tom Sietsema. For many of us Tom's reviews have been useful. If the reviews got worse somehow, it's beneficial to know the reasons. But if the Sietsema critics have no useful insight to provide, that itself is insightful.

Girl, calm down!!

[Anonymous]

Seems like a nice guy. But did anyone find his writing i credibly cheesy and amateur — fun!, attention heatheads!, “wait for it.” Downright embarrassing and the stuff of paridy Just ask if one could ever imagine him as the NYT, LA Times, or Chicago Trib restaurant critic. Another symptom of DC as sort of a third-rate city.

[Anonymous]

Newspapers ought to limit any dining critic - any - to a 5 year term at most.

After 5 years, the critic is known at most of the better restaurants, so their review will not be accurate for what average joe and jane will experience. So then it is time to switch.