Elazar Sontag did not suggest a coveted reservation for our first lunch together. Instead, The Washington Post’s new food critic led the way to a church cafeteria tucked behind a parking lot near Mt. Vernon Square, a place that symbolizes what he wants food criticism in Washington to be about.
Sontag joined the Post in November, succeeding Tom Sietsema who held the role for 25 years.
After several years as Bon Appétit’s restaurant editor, he arrived in Washington with excitement to rethink some of the long-standing traditions of the profession. To start, he has ditched anonymity and restored the star rating system. Changes he describes, in part, as generational but also practical.
“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 said. “Part of that is putting it on different platforms, and it’s really hard to do that if you can’t show your face.”
That was indeed part of our time (and delicious interview) on a recent chilly afternoon, when Morning Edition’s Leila Fadel and her team joined Sontag at Saint’s Paradise Cafeteria at The United House of Prayer for All People.
After several visits to the bustling space as research for a profile, Sontag told us the community space — known for its soul food — is more than “just a cafeteria.”
“The layers of what makes this place unique puts it on par with any of the most serious restaurants in the city,” he said. “It’s almost a living piece of history.”
Listen to the full interview by clicking on the blue button above.
This interview was produced by Kaity Kline, Julie Depenbrock and Ava Pukatch. The digital version was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
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