freelance recipe writing jobs

freelance recipe writing jobs

Exploring Opportunities in Freelance Recipe Writing

1. Introduction to Freelance Recipe Writing

The food as a topic niche has netted a growing number of eager amateurs, as the internet, social media, and other digital platforms have made it easy for anyone interested in any aspect of food as a field to set themselves up as an expert. This has meant that the column inches and bandwidths provided by food writing have become contested space, as food as a topic has joined entertainment, sports, and personal finance as areas where there is an oversupply of writers who want to write about a topic they love to talk about, cook, and eat. This also holds true for freelancing opportunities in mainstream publications, where the cost of sustainable, ethical business models is producing fewer and fewer opportunities for both new and mid-career writers.

Recipe writing is a niche within food writing that is highly specialized but not impossible to break into. Savvy and knowledgeable home cooks, adventurous gourmands, and those with the expertise and/or the curiosity to explore a myriad of unique and regional cuisines may consider this area of writing. This explores the steps to become involved in this area of writing, which has unlimited opportunities for those seeking variety, innovation, and growth.

2. Building a Strong Portfolio and Skillset

Freelance food writers often work part-time from home, building a clientele of magazines, cookbook publishers, and websites. Some even set up shop in their own kitchens, writing recipes for food products and ingredients. Those who hold culinary school degrees tend to start their careers more quickly and have a polished portfolio, which can help them command higher pay.

Building a strong portfolio and skillset is essential for professionals looking to get a head start in the business. Many professionals choose to write about their passion, which in this case is food. However, creating copy that grabs the reader’s attention and inspires them to cook a particular dish can be a challenge even for excellent cooks. Fortunately, persuasive writing skills can be learned, and many cooking hobbyists have found lucrative careers in recipe writing.

3. Finding and Applying for Freelance Recipe Writing Jobs

Collect an online portfolio of places where your recipes have been shared, then begin to look for paying opportunities. If you don’t have food writing credits yet, keep a collection of your recipes on a Pinterest board or a blog. These will make great links for potential employers to look at to get a feel for your recipes. Once you have evidence of your skills, finding freelance recipe writing jobs is the same as finding any other type of job. With countless companies employing people for writing these types of articles, chances are high that you’ll find something of interest. Keep in mind that just because the specific job you’re initially applying for is freelance, full-time, or part-time, you’re building a professional relationship. If you do good work as a freelancer, it could lead to a more permanent position in the future.

Having the right writing expertise in recipe development and creating recipes is the first step to being considered for freelance food writing jobs. Luckily, no degree or certification is necessary, just a talent for cooking, recipe creating, and an ability to share what you know with purely written recipes. If you think you might like a job you don’t qualify for yet, don’t let that stop you. Think about recipes you’d love to write, then create them at home while following the guidance for writing included in this article. Take photos of your creations (and of the steps as well) and share the recipes online. There is no greater calling card than specific examples of your strong work.

4. Best Practices for Success in the Freelance Recipe Writing Industry

Get published: The importance of a resume filled with published writing experience cannot be overstated. Think about it from the perspective of someone that’s about to drop a few thousand dollars on promoting a recipe. Wouldn’t you want them to have shown a dedication to food writing, an ability to stick to deadlines yet write engagingly, and a proven ability to cover the specific type of recipe you want to talk about?

Freelance recipe writing opens up an exciting, if niche, field of professional writing. One filled with fresh baked bread, fermented goodies, and the smells of herbs and freshly ground spices wafting from the kitchen. However, turning your love for all things tasty and filling into a profitable writing career is not as intuitive as getting expertly baked bread every time you fire up your oven. This isn’t a field for the timid or coaster. Success in recipe writing comes from a combination of dedication, improved techniques, networking, and dumb luck. That said, following these best practices will ensure you are ready to receive the dumb luck when it is thrown your way.

5. Networking and Building Relationships in the Culinary Community

Have you taught yourself how to use new technologies? I know many a chef from a hotel that couldn’t plan his menu without the assistance of his trusted notebook. I know many a chef that thinks computers could be the devil and shuns unwanted contact, preferring traditional tools, recipes, and ingredient information. The fact that you are reading this article, though, probably means that the techno-phobe in you is losing a battle or two. So why not apply the skills you have been talking about in your tech-savvy resume or summary, or when you distribute the samples of your work and one of your beautiful business cards that have your contact information embroidered on a few of your most outstanding achievements? Oh, the business cards do have your contact information, don’t they? And they are of very high quality, full color, and preferably have one or a few of your professional photos?

Join and participate in core organizations of the culinary community, such as IACP, and the food media sub-organizations, as well as the home economists or test kitchens of corporations such as Kraft Foods, or the magazine offices – such as Cooking Light – that maintain their own test kitchens. These organizations and individuals are the clients you and I are targeting, and therefore would be the most crucial players in your quest to develop your freelance career in the culinary world.