Grimes gives up his poison pen

[pepperedpalate]

Apparently Bill Grimes has stepped down from his restaurant critic position as the Times.

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http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=55025

Midson

[rhubarbz]

Yes, i heard about this earlier today and was intrigued. Perhaps i'm in the minority, but there's a lot about Bill Grimes' reviews (as well as his sensibilities) i like very much. And i think he's a terrific features writer ...

[Lady T]

Wow. That's going to be a dogfight -- or perhaps "food fight" would be the better term.

[mikeycook]

Not to mention that a lot of the top places will probably be up for re-review after they name a successor.

[Busboy]

I hear Fat Guy has the inside track. They're looking for a neo-con to balance Frank Rich.

[Fat Guy]

Yeah, imagine my surprise when I got home from an appointment this morning and there wasn't a single voicemail message from the Times asking me to fill the position.

[mikeycook]

How do we start a write-in campaign? Who do we contact?

[alacarte]

If this means that Grimes now has the time to curate more exhibits like the "NY Eats Out" exhibit of menus he put together for the NY Public Library, I'm all for it. That was a great exhibit.

[Varmint]

I'd be down with Fat Guy getting any paying reviewer's job, just so I could mooch off of his expense account when I come to visit.

[Steve Klc]

"Not to mention that a lot of the top places will probably be up for re-review after they name a successor."

Why? If the Times wasn't embarrassed keeping 1998 Reichl four star sacred cow reviews up throughout the Grimes tenure, what's a few more years for the likes of Le Bernardin and Jean-Georges?

[Suzanne F]

Just wanted to say: I disagree with the title of this thread. I do not consider him to have had a "poison pen."

And, btw, he is "Biff," not "Bill."

[SobaAddict70]

I'd say either Eric Asimov or Amanda Hesser.

Or it could be someone who's not on the radar.

Soba

[bloviatrix]

Hesser has no interest in being a restaurant critic. At the 92nd St Y panel on monday night she talked about how much she hated her brief turn doing the job - particularly all the scheduling and getting friends to agree to eat according to her reviewing needs.

[herbacidal]

Hesser has no interest in being a restaurant critic. At the 92nd St Y panel on monday night she talked about how much she hated her brief turn doing the job - particularly all the scheduling and getting friends to agree to eat according to her reviewing needs.

yea, it's understandable.

much better to be an "interesting food + restaurant" writer than the restaurant reviewer.

too many particulars associated with reviewing.

[MichaelB]

Hesser has no interest in being a restaurant critic. At the 92nd St Y panel on monday night she talked about how much she hated her brief turn doing the job - particularly all the scheduling and getting friends to agree to eat according to her reviewing needs.

I think that she is also way too recognized to be a reviewer at this point in her career.

[Schneier]

Wow. This is a big deal.

I'll bet they'll pick someone nonobvious, like they generally do.

And I think Asimov would have gotten the job last time if it were to happen.

[Schneier]

Wow. That is a big deal.

My guess is that they'll pick someone nonobvious again.

Where do I send a resume?

Bruce

[albie]

Seems to me Asimov is being groomed to replace Frank Prial, but one never knows.

[mikeycook]

"Not to mention that a lot of the top places will probably be up for re-review after they name a successor."

Why? If the Times wasn't embarrassed keeping 1998 Reichl four star sacred cow reviews up throughout the Grimes tenure, what's a few more years for the likes of Le Bernardin and Jean-Georges?

Depends on the place. Certainly the new reviewer will want to put their own mark on the 4 stars. It's starting to look pretty crowded at the top and it would seem that if the new reviewer adds one they will need to take one away. I didn't mean to imply they would re-review all the top places.

If Per Se comes in as a 4 star, any bets on who might be demoted or will they keep the current crop?

[slkinsey]

And I think Asimov would have gotten the job last time if it were to happen.

This assumes, of course, that Asimov even wants the job. He has a pretty good gig going with "$25 and under."

[Dave the Cook]

And I think Asimov would have gotten the job last time if it were to happen.

This assumes, of course, that Asimov even wants the job. He has a pretty good gig going with "$25 and under."

And does it well, I think. (Of course this is the opinion of someone who hasn't been to a NYC restaurant since before Asimov was born.)

[guajolote]

tommy

[Jason Perlow]

STEINGARTEN!

We know at least one thing -- he likes to eat. And he's a real New Yorker.

[Rich Pawlak]

I'd say either Eric Asimov or Amanda Hesser.

Or it could be someone who's not on the radar.

Soba

The inside track has Eric Asimov aboard. A close friend of his tells me he has the job if he wants it, and he does.

[Suzanne F]

Then who'll do $25 and Under?????