Pitches wanted (recipe stories) | 50 cents per word

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: GASTRO OBSCURA

Sam O'Brien, Senior Editor at Gastro Obscura, is looking for pitches:

We are excited to share our guidelines for pitching recipe stories to Gastro Obscura!

When Gastro Obscura launched in 2017, we did not publish recipes. But we experimented with them when the pandemic began, and recipe stories are now a permanent part of what we publish. Our approach to recipes, though, differs from most food publications.

Recipe stories on Gastro Obscura must meet the same criteria as the rest of our articles: The recipe should come with a story that provides a window into hidden histories or lesser-known places, people, or communities. Each recipe story consists of both the recipe itself and the article that tells its story. You don’t need to be a professional chef or have an extensive culinary background to write a recipe story—we’re more interested in fascinating cooking projects and well-told stories than learning how to make the perfect pie.

Here are a few examples:

• The Enduring Midwestern Mystery of Blue Moon Ice Cream
• How to Recreate 1,300-Year-Old Cookies
• The Messy History of Emily Dickinson’s Black Cake Recipe
• Make the Crystal-Clear Milk Cocktail Loved by a Spy and a Founding Father

You can find more examples of our published recipe stories, as well as more information and guidance, in Gastro Obscura's pitch guidelines.

The process for pitching is the same as for pitching any Gastro Obscura article: Email us at gastro-pitches@atlasobscura.com with your proposed headline in the subject line. Don't reply to this email. We won't see it!

As a reminder, while our rates can vary depending on the amount of reporting and intricacies of the recipe, we usually pay around $0.50 per word. We also reimburse for recipe expenses.

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely,

Sam O'Brien
Gastro Obscura Senior Editor

CONTACT INFORMATION:

• Submissions: pitches@atlasobscura.com
• Website: https://www.atlasobscura.com/gastro

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Atlas Obscura's food section, Gastro Obscura, is devoted to wonder and curiosity. It features wondrous foods to explore and enjoy and publishes stories about the most awe-inspiring parts of the food world
• Read through its selection of recent articles/stories, categorized into: Food & Drink, Places, Stories
• Review the submission guidelines here.
• Check out our collection of pitch excerpts on this page and find more sample pitches at The Open Notebook Database and at SuccessfulPitches.com.
• Do not forget to end your pitch with (1) a short introduction about yourself; (2) a paragraph highlighting your writing experience, relevant credentials and publication credits; and (3) links to your strongest work or portfolio, and online profile.

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