Former SFBG Food Critic Paul Reidinger Relinquishes His Mug Shot, and his Anonymity

After 13 years as a critic for the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Paul Reidinger proves he'll never return as an anonymous critic today by handing over his photo portrait to the Chron. In the accompanying interview, he covers a few topics: how restaurants are "more celebrity chef-y" now, his favorite writers (ie. Adam Platt's "nicely ironic tone" in New York Magazine), and his take on the star system:

"When you start giving stars, the text becomes irrelevant. This is a culture increasingly iconographic. There are stars and bombs and little men and all these things — it makes text more superfluous, or maybe more difficult."

Add Reidinger to the pile of critics that've recently been de-throned (or de-throned themselves): the NY Times Sam Sifton, and the Chicago Sun Times' Pat Bruno. His replacement will be former SFBG food and drink correspondent, Virginia Miller, who will not use stars, nor will she be anonymous.

· Paul Reidinger chats about his career as a critic, writer, reader and eater [ISSF]
· All To Catch A Critic Coverage [~ ESF ~]

[Photo: ISSF]