Elazar Sontag has been appointed as The Washington Post's new food critic, succeeding Tom Sietsema, who held the position for 25 years. Sontag assumed the role in November.
Sontag, previously a restaurant editor at Bon Appétit, has introduced several changes to the publication's food criticism methodology. These include discontinuing the traditional anonymity of the critic and reinstating a star rating system for reviews.
Sontag stated that these adjustments are partly generational and partly practical. He articulated his objective to broaden the accessibility and relevance of restaurant criticism, aiming to make it feel essential rather than exclusive. "The big consideration for me is how do we make restaurant criticism feel like something that everyone needs, that it doesn't feel out of reach," Sontag commented, noting that visible critics facilitate broader platform engagement.
An interview conducted by Morning Edition's Leila Fadel with Sontag occurred at Saint's Paradise Cafeteria, located within The United House of Prayer for All People near Mt. Vernon Square. Sontag had visited the establishment multiple times for research. He characterized the community space, recognized for its soul food, as having "layers of what makes this place unique [that] puts it on par with any of the most serious restaurants in the city," and referred to it as "almost a living piece of history."