It’s happened to all of us at some point in our career.

We have rolled over in the morning, still in a fog of exhaustion from the previous night’s work, to find our phone ablaze with incoming messages, offering praise or condolences, depending on the scenario.

Every chef has at some point, been caught off guard by a food review.

While we know we are always subject to criticism and reviews, we never really know when it’s going to come. When we opened Workshop Eatery last November we knew it was only a matter of time before we were reviewed.

It took a little longer than I had expected, but I was a little taken aback when the Edmonton Journal called to say they would be rolling out their review the first week of January and that their review had been done the week prior, between Christmas and New Year’s.

I was even more alarmed when CBC reached out to ask a few follow up questions the same week.

A few days later the phone wouldn’t stop ringing and we were even forced to turn tables away, certainly not a bad issue to have in early January.

Over my years in this business I have had glowing reviews, and I have had some scathing reviews, I have even had both about the same visit.

Yes, you read that right. One particular food writer praised their visit in their on air review, leaving me to feel that I couldn’t have scripted it better myself, only to sing a different tune when their online review hit their blog a few days later.

It has taken a long time for me to relax a little over the feedback of reviewers.

Don’t me wrong, my heart still sinks when I get sent an email or a message about a new review, but I have come to accept that the feedback is only that of one person.

While they may hold some clout in their respective food community their opinion only carries so much weight.

I have learned to read all of our guests’ reviews, no matter what their Yelp status may be or how many hits they have monthly on their blog, looking for anything that might be mentioned consistently, or too often for my liking, and then I look to change those flaws or make improvements, but I can’t dictate the direction of my entire business over the feedback of one, no matter how much weight their words carry.

Having said that I can still appreciate the frustration that getting a bad review can bring, or knowing that no matter what heights your cooking reaches you’ll never receive the same praise only reserved for a select few in your town.

I can also appreciate the tireless effort a chef or restaurant owner puts into seeing their dream come to fruition, only to have their hard work overlooked or worse, compared to the hot new shop down the street, with hipsters lined up out the door and by who?

Who are these people given the privilege of sharing their opinions about our city’s restaurants? What experience or training do these experts have?

Have they spent years on their feet, repeating basic techniques over and over again, in hot, dark, cramped quarters, while angry chefs bark orders at them?

Have they gone to cooking school? Are they decent home cooks?

There was a time when the craft of being a food critic was highly regarded and feared. There was honour in the process.

Critics like Ruth Reichel and Craig Claiborne were seasoned veterans and earned their positions, as their criticism was feared, but also respected.

They had the courtesy to visit a restaurant on multiple occasions, even waiting weeks after opening to allow the restaurant to work out the kinks, so as to provide the most honest review of the dining experience.

Today, it would seem critics are in a race to be the first to share their opinion, foregoing some of those traditions, for the sake of being the first to share the story.

Often facts aren’t checked, and mistakes are made.

During a recent review of our place in a national newspaper the critic stated that dinner for two at our restaurant was $200.

While I could take the criticism, both constructive and otherwise, it was this falsehood that frustrated me most.

The average diner visiting us spends $50 for dinner, a big spender may spend $75. That kind of misrepresentation might result in turning potential guests away without even trying us.

I wonder when in their race to get the story out if they take the time to consider the impact of their actions.

I wonder if they fully understand that their choice of words, kind or cutthroat, can make or break the dreams of those involved, and even cost people their jobs.

I can also say this though, I don’t envy their job. It would seem that no matter what their choice of words they end up offending someone.

If the review is too scathing they are abused for speaking their mind, if the review is too kind they are accused of playing favourites, and yet, these men and women still choose to do it.

There has been tension amongst the food critic and chef community here in Edmonton of late.

As a chef I have felt handcuffed by what the last decade has done to our industry.

With the meteoric rise of food-related television, and the unlimited access to knowledge on the Internet there has become a very large community of people who deem themselves experts in our craft, while doing it from home.

I think you would be hard pressed to find an industry more directly impacted in that way than the hospitality industry.

By the same right, those that choose to do this as a career are finding it increasingly harder to be taken seriously and stand out in the crowd of amateurs.

Then I had an idea. Those that know me know I am one who likes to poke the bear, or stir the pot, but they also know that I am one who likes to give back to the community I do business in.

So, with that said, I have an idea that I think could bring the food community together, while raising money for a charity I am passionate about.

For one night only, this January, I am going to flip the script.

I am going to hand over my kitchen to some of the city’s finest food critics and bloggers, and let the chefs sit back and review the experience.

This is meant to be a fun evening where we get to see each other’s job in a different light and gain a little perspective. So, this time it’s your turn to be called out food writers.

Here is my list of the most influential food critics in Edmonton, in no particular order:

I am looking for six of you to rise to the challenge and cook at the first ever Eat Your Words dinner in support of Ronald McDonald House Northern Alberta.

Who will step up and take part in cooking dinner for 150?

It’s your chance to show the chefs of Edmonton you can put your money where your mouth is.

I’ll be looking for chefs to join in the fun too.

We will need four chefs to sit on the judging panel, in charge of reviewing the creations. It will come at a price though.

It will cost you an all inclusive dinner for eight in your restaurant to take your seat on the panel. I suspect the list will be long of chefs that want to get in on this one.

For those of you who want to participate I can be reached at chefpaul@theworkshopeatery.com. I am anxious to see who will step for what should be a fun-filled event and stay tuned for more details and how you can get your tickets.