Jimi Famurewa - Why London Restaurants Scene Is Getting Boring & Getting Brutally Fired As A Critic!

The recent Evening Standard and Masterchef critic joins us in the studio to discuss; his controversial firing at the paper, his worries for the London restaurant scene, his new book 'Picky' and takes us through the highs and lows of 7 years of being a critic including the worst restaurants he ever ate in! --------- Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show. If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it. Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours. Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/ Buy Jimi's book Picky here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Picky-must-r... 00:00 – Welcome Back: The Go-To Food Podcast x Blink 00:24 – From Junk Food Devotee to One of Britain’s Top Critics 01:00 – Revealing Picky: The Book Behind the Food Journey 02:06 – Childhood Fear of Bananas, Veg, and Anything Fresh 04:15 – The Curry House Culture Shock That Changed Everything 06:22 – Code-Switching, Food Identity & Growing Up Nigerian 08:00 – Discovering Food Through TV: Jamie, Keith & The Two Fat Ladies 10:07 – Becoming a Critic: Picky Palates, Big Opinions 12:01 – Tomatoes Taste Better When You Season Them 13:12 – Imposter Syndrome and Going Against the Restaurant Hype 15:00 – That One Bite: Discovering the Legendary Four Legs Burger 17:01 – Taking Over From Fay Maschler: Stepping Into Big Shoes 18:14 – From Freelance Writer to Full-Time Critic: Getting the Job 20:00 – Writing Style Secrets: Features, Flow & Food Atmosphere 22:00 – Why Every Restaurant Review Needs a Bigger Story 24:00 – Are Restaurant Reviews Still Relevant in a TikTok World? 25:56 – What Happens When Everyone’s a Critic? 27:50 – The End of Viral Reviews? Salt Bae, Pete Wells & the Peak Era 30:00 – A Fractured Media Landscape: Where Did the Food Conversation Go? 33:00 – London's Restaurant Scene: Risk-Averse, Yet Still Exciting 34:45 – Michelin Stars Meet Smash Burgers: How Prestige Became Content 36:00 – Restaurant or Content Studio? Making £30K from YouTube 38:00 – Death of Late Dining & The 6:30PM Supper Rush 40:00 – The Paradox of Staff Wellness vs. Survival Mode 42:00 – Hospitality’s Resilience: Is Adaptability Actually Hurting It? 44:00 – Blink Sponsor Message: Reinventing the POS Game 45:00 – The Tuesday Service Trick: How Restaurants Telegraph Trouble 47:00 – Why Some Diners Now Split Granola & Share Set Menus 49:00 – Provenance vs Price: Do Customers Still Care Where Food Comes From? 51:00 – The £15 Steakhouse That Defied the Critics 52:20 – Losing the Critic Job: A Brutal Restructure at the Standard 54:00 – Jolof, Plantain & Guinness: A Home-Cooked Tribute 57:00 – Quickfire: Worst Restaurant Ever Reviewed 58:50 – The Review That Meant the Most: 805 on Old Kent Road 1:00:00 – Salt Bae: The Steak-Dangling Chaos Reviewed 1:02:00 – When You Get It Wrong: Regretful Reviews & Second Thoughts 1:03:15 – Go-To Spots: Weeknight Eats, Celebration Dinners, and the Best Pub 1:07:00 – Dream Food Weekend: Berlin, Burgers & Beer 1:08:30 – Three-Course Go-To Meal: Sliders, Jolof & the Power of a Sundae 1:10:04 – Outro: Don’t Forget to Subscribe & Use the Blink Code!