The New York Times Names New Restaurant Critics

Eater

a day ago

Following Pete Wells' departure from the New York Times restaurant critic role that he held for 12 years, there has been much speculation about who would replace him. Now, we have the answer: Ligaya Mishan and Tejal Rao are the publication's new restaurant critics. The appointment of Mishan and Rao, both longtime Times employees, marks a departure from how criticism was handled. It is an acknowledgment of the country's vastness and the sensitivity and thoughtfulness required to convey a picture of such a dynamic landscape. Mishan will focus on New York City, as well as occasionally file restaurant reviews outside the city. Rao will take a more national look at restaurants, per the announcement.
Both of the new critics are unmasked; a video announcement today provides more information about their reasoning behind the decision to become public figures, distinct from Wells. 'Audiences want to know who's making their recommendations, to put faces to names, to get a sense of their tastes and who they are. We hope these videos will do so, and help bring a new level of transparency and immediacy to our criticism,' the announcement states.
After Wells departed from his restaurant critic title in 2024, his column was split into two, with reviews filed by Melissa Clark and Priya Krishna. The duo, alongside editor Brian Gallagher, just completed their version of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City, focusing more on affordability and, notably, choosing to rank only the top 10 — a move that was different from its two previous editions.
Up until recently, Mishan was a columnist for the New York Times Magazine and wrote for T Magazine . Lately, her stories have included one on chawanmushi, 'a Japanese half-custard half-flan;' a new era of West African fine dining; and a collective of creatives working to preserve Chinatown. Previous to that, she ran the 'Hungry City' restaurant column for the Times , from 2012 to 2020, a companion column to Wells' reviews that often focused on mom-and-pop ventures in neighborhoods less covered, outside of Manhattan.
Rao has been based in California as the food section's critic-at-large, writing on topics that often thread the needle of food and culture, in reports such as one about the booming business of Kit Kats; how restaurant workers showed up for Los Angeles fire victims; and the history of California's hippie sandwiches. Outside of Los Angeles, she has already had a hand in national restaurant service content, such as the 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now. See More: