Journalists aren't supposed to comment out loud much about the things that sources and publicists do that gets under their skin. That said, they are all people, every last one... and sometimes they need to vent, just like the rest of us. Here is another anonymous missive from a frustrated journalist.

Want to know the difference between being mentioned in an article and being the main focus of it? Between getting great press and feeling ignored? Between staying in your kitchen all the time and being asked to do cooking demos and television? It comes down to one word:

WHY?

Meaning, quite simply, EXPLAIN YOURSELF! Have something to say! Tell me WHY you put those ingredients together, why you love that particular vegetable, why it’s important, why it works, why it’s great! We ask chefs about their dishes all the time, and it’s astonishing to find how many don’t know how to answer even simple questions. I’ve had chefs produce beautiful food, but when I try to interview them about it, they have no story, no explanation, there’s seemingly no thought behind the dish. So I move on, to the chef who has thought about his food, and has something to say to me. And that chef gets the coverage.

For example, if I ask you why you combined strawberries and lemongrass in your dessert tart, I want to hear something like:
• Your grandmother used to make strawberry lemonade and this is a modern twist on the combo, bringing those flavors together with a nod to Nana.
• You were at the farmer's market in search of Asian aromatics, stumbled upon some irresistible strawberries while there, and decided to play with the combination.
• You and the other cooks were making a midnight snack and happened to sip a fruit-forward rosé while eating lemongrass chicken, and were inspired to combine the flavors.

What I don’t want to hear; what gets me nowhere, is:

• I don’t know; it seemed good.
• We’ve always done it that way, and people like it.
• It’s just really good.

Bottom line: if you can’t tell me what is great about your food, your family, your favorite piece of cooking equipment, your garden at home, etc., then I can’t tell you why I should cover it.