Food Reporter The Houston Chronicle is seeking a Food Reporter to cover Houston's vibrant and diverse culinary scene in fresh, innovative ways. This reporter will be plugged into restaurant trends, chefs and the people shaping Houston's food culture. This reporter should be the first to report breaking news, from major restaurant openings and closings to chef moves, ownership changes and industry developments. The Food Reporter will create journalism that meets audiences wherever they are, particularly on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and other social platforms. This role goes beyond traditional food coverage, combining authoritative reporting with creative storytelling, strong audience instincts and a deep understanding of what makes people want to watch, share, discuss and return for more. From quick social videos and recurring video series to in-depth stories about Houston's food scene, this reporter will help define how the Chronicle engages food lovers across the city.
Key responsibilities:- Be first and best in reporting Houston's food news, including restaurant openings and closures, chef moves, ownership changes, major hires, expansions and insider developments
- Build strong sourcing among chefs, restaurateurs, hospitality workers, industry leaders and food enthusiasts
- Cover restaurant trends, chef profiles, emerging cuisines and the human-centered stories behind the meals, with a focus on what matters to Houston's diverse communities
- Use social listening, search trends, audience tools and community engagement to identify food conversations and create coverage that resonates
- Develop recurring social video series and franchises for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube and other platforms
- Produce quick reactions, interviews, explainers, behind-the-scenes videos and other social-first storytelling
- Juggle breaking news with longer features, food guides, trend stories and experimental digital formats
- Collaborate closely with food editors, visuals, audience strategists and other newsroom teams to bring stories to life and extend their reach
- We're looking for someone who:
- Has at least three years of reporting experience, including at least one year covering food, restaurants, culture, business or a related beat
- Has a strong understanding of Houston's restaurant scene, chefs, neighborhoods and culinary culture
- Has a proven ability to break news quickly, accurately and ethically
- Is deeply plugged into restaurant and food trends and knows how to spot a story before it becomes widely known
- Has experience creating social video for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram
- Is comfortable on camera and capable of developing engaging video series, interviews, explainers and field reports
- Brings a creative mindset to food coverage and is eager to experiment with formats, visuals and storytelling approaches
- Can balance breaking news with compelling feature reporting that keeps readers and viewers coming back
- About the Houston Chronicle:
- The Houston Chronicle, recognized for its Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, serves its 2.3 million residents with content and marketing solutions across two of Houston's largest websites — Houston
Chronicle.com and Chron.com, along with our magazine, television and newspaper brands. Our mission is to spark conversations that inspire action to create a better Houston. All our content and the innovative business solutions we provide invite Houstonians to join conversations about a community we've been committed to covering and helping prosper for more than 120 years. The community we all call home.
Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at hnpemployment@hearst.com. Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.
Job Info:
Job Identification 2027593 Job Category Content and News
Posting Date 10/01/2026, 12:06 PMJob Schedule Full time
Job Shift DayLocations 4747 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX, 77027, US
