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>Maybe she should have become a chef. It'd be a more >secure job than editorial at any newspaper right now. > >Given her credentials, she could go to cable's Food >Network and become the next Rachael Ray or host one of >those road food programs like "Diners, Drive ins and >Dives" and spend most of the half hour talking about >her excursions and how she felt and a couple minutes >on the food itself. > >They could call the show "The China Syndrome." > >>Academic credentials are nice but you've got to be >>able to get it across. She spends too much time on the >>"I" "me" business. I think they should have hired >>someone from elsewhere who had the experience as a >>restaurant critic and journalist that Millman clearly >>lacks. >> >>>Took about 1.1 seconds to Google this from Culinary >>>Media Network >>> >>>"A Harvard graduate, China also studied the culinary >>>arts via Le Cordon Bleu's program at the Pennsylvania >>>Culinary Institute." >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>>They should have hired someone with more experience >>>>and not just some kid. Seems if you have a Master's >>in >>>>anything you are more employable by the PG even >>though >>>>an MA doesn't show anything so far as journalistic >>>>competence or even writing skills. Just what are Ms. >>>>Millman's credentials for her position? I have yet >to >>>>see anything on the paper's website indicating any >>>>qualifications at all. That's why a suspicion exists >>>>she's somebody's friend or relative. Again, had >they >>>>gotten a real "star" dining reviewer to replace >>>>Downer, no one would be raising the issue. >>>> >>>>But they didn't. >>>> >>>>>I agree that features duplicates much of what is >>>>>available from national media or from colleagues >>>>>elsewhere at the paper. Movie reviews are an >obvious >>>>>exammple. But restaurant reviews are exactly the >>sort >>>>>of thing that local news sites should provide. It >is >>>a >>>>>distinctly local service that makes sites like the >>PG >>>>>valuable. Lots of people are looking for ideas for >>>new >>>>> places to eat; in that light, even a bad >restaurant >>>>>review can be helpful. China might not be the best >>>>>reviewer in the world, but she's not that bad >>either. >>>>>Give her a chance to grow into the job. >>>>> >>>>>>I think it's because the PG management shows bad >>>>>>judgment in going from one bad dining critic, >>>Downer, >>>>>>to another who while younger is just lousy in a >>>>>>different way. Trib has a bad feature section but >>>>>>outguns PG on restaurant reviews hands down. PG >>>>thinks >>>>>>they need all these high-falutin' types. Why's a >>>>paper >>>>>>losing this money filling positions as if all's >>>well? >>>>>>Some dailies in less trouble than the PG are >>>slashing >>>>>>feature coverage even movie reviewers and so >forth. >>>>JR >>>>>>Block is obviously in some kinda denial. I would >>not >>>>>>have wasted money filling that position when >Downer >>>>>>left. As many people care about restaurant reviews >>>as >>>>>>care about Rawson's theater critiques. >>>>>> >>>>>>>I can't understand the level of vitriol directed >>at >>>>>>>China Millman. She's certainly not my cup of tea, >>>>>>>necessarily, but I don't get why her writing is >so >>>>>>>objectionable, or why she takes so much heat on >>>this >>>>>>>board. She's far from the worst writer at either >>>>>>>paper, and she is writing features, for goodness >>>>>sake, >>>>>>>not political analysis. Lighten up. >>>>>>>There are much more deserving targets on which to >>>>>>>focus your irritation, to be sure. >>>>>>>And no, I'm not China, and I've never met her or >>>>>>>worked with her. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>>>It only took one and a half graphs for China >>>>Millman >>>>>>>>to insert herself into the story this time. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>She writes in Sunday's paper, "Still, Bourdain's >>>>>>>>extended description of his own food television >>>>>>>>hierarchy, combined with the timely kickoffs of >>>new >>>>>>>>seasons of Bravo's "Top Chef" and Fox's "Hell's >>>>>>>>Kitchen," got me thinking." >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>Oh, did it get YOU thinking, China? It made YOU >>>>>>think, >>>>>>>>huh? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>Can you please try to get through a few graphs >>>(let >>>>>>>>alone a whole piece) without using the following >>>>>>>>words: Me, my or I? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>On top of that, when was Anthony Bourdain in >>town? >>>>>>Two >>>>>>>>weeks ago or so? Why a story now? Were you busy >>>>>>>>regaling us on why Pittsburgh establishments >will >>>>>>>>never be as great as their counterparts in New >>>York >>>>>>or >>>>>>>>San Fran? >>>>>>>>Is that why it took weeks for a follow up on >>>>>>Bourdain? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>For the life of me, I have no idea what anyone >>>sees >>>>>>in >>>>>>>>China Millman except, of course, herself. And, >oh >>>>>>>>yeah, she'll tell you about it.

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