Brenda: About Those "Bloggers"...

I love this episode! Finally, everyone can see that my job consists of more than eating and drinking! In fact, it is more meetings, events, and stress than food and wine!

It is time for Los Angeles Food & Wine! So exciting. The annual event is one of the biggest food events in the country, and the agency I work for represents it. If you are a chef or restaurateur and you can participate in this event, it can do wonders for your future in the culinary world in L.A. I love that Jess comes to me for business advice. Like I said, I really want to help her succeed and L.A. F&W is certainly a place to make an impression!

Once again, I feel like I need to clarify what I say on the show. During my meeting with Jess, I talk about “bloggers,” so I want to be clear. Los Angeles food media work mainly online. Most of my best coverage comes from what writers in L.A. post online for my clients, and I am incredibly grateful. When I reference bloggers in my conversation about coverage for Fuku Burger, I am talking about what most publicists I know encounter on a daily basis: the people that crawl out of the woodwork with an insignificant website that has 50 visitors a month, who claim they are an “important blogger” and want a free meal. Just about every new business meeting I walk into, restaurateurs complain about these people. And it is those people I am referencing when talking to Jess, not those writers for online sites that have actual journalistic integrity. Speaking of bloggers…

It was interesting to me to watch Kat work with Waylynn on her the story about her first anniversary. I have to be honest when I say I was incredibly shocked that Kat tried to take credit for discovering Waylynn. Waylynn is an award-winning pastry chef who was at the top of her game long before Kat started blogging for Eater LA! And that dig about Fonuts not being high-end? Wow. The shop is doing things with pastry that have never been done before. I don’t know why I am so shocked by Kat’s comment, but it was such an insult to say that to Waylynn’s face, and Kat is oblivious. It is especially awful to witness once we watch Waylynn celebrate her anniversary with her team. This should have been the most joyous and emotional time for Waylynn in a positive way, and Kat’s article taints that. 

Watching everyone prepare for L.A. F&W makes me so happy. Everyone is taking this event very seriously, and they should! It takes a lot of hard work to make an impression when you are presenting your food next to some of the biggest names in the industry. So excited that my girls were able to participate.

On to my boy, Chris Crary! I met Chris through my client Edward Lee, who was on Top Chef with Chris, and we have been friends for awhile. Chris is known for being flirty, and let’s be honest… I’m not going to complain. Hell, he is probably one of the only chefs in L.A. I find attractive, so why not flirt back? It’s all in good fun. I realize that some folks might think that this may make me hypocritical when I call Kat out for doing the same with her business contacts. But Chris is my friend, and not a colleague, or someone I am currently doing business with (yet!) Trust me, if/when I represent him, my behavior will adjust accordingly  Does it upset me that he asks about Kat? Of course, because I know that Kat has ulterior motives in hanging out with Chris. Business? Maybe. And to piss me off? That’s probably a bonus for her.  

The big event is finally here -- LA F&W! Let me just start by saying that it was probably one of the hottest days in L.A. that I have ever experienced since moving here. The energy is electric! And this is where the real work begins! I love this event because I see a lot of chefs I know in one place and taste a lot of great food. And, of course, drink wine! At this point, I have definitely earned it. Red carpet is always stressful, but at the end of the day we all had a great time!

Hope you all enjoyed our second episode.  Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @msbrendaurban, and let me know what you thought!