What we publish

The Umami Post publishes original writing across seven sections:

  • Recipes, Tested recipes from our kitchen and yours.
  • Techniques, How to do the things that make cooking work.
  • Reviews, Cookbooks, restaurants, equipment, and pantry staples assessed honestly.
  • News, What is happening in food, kitchens, and the supply chain.
  • Opinion, Signed essays and editorial positions on how we eat.
  • Deep Dives, Long-form reporting on the systems behind our food.
  • Food & Culture, Tradition, identity, diaspora, holidays, and table.
  • Food Science, The chemistry, biology, and physics of cooking.
  • Food History, Where dishes, ingredients, and ideas come from.
  • Cook's Letters, Reader responses, variations, and corrections.

Contributor tiers

  • Guest Contributor, One-off or occasional pieces. Full editorial support provided.
  • Contributing Cook, Regular contributors with an established track record. Cook profile page and author RSS feed.
  • Contributing Editor, Section-level editorial input. Helps shape coverage in their area of expertise.

What we look for

  • Clear, direct prose -- no jargon, no AI sludge
  • Evidence and sourcing -- claims backed by testing or references
  • Honest writing -- engage the actual tradeoffs
  • Relevance to the cook -- write for someone with a real kitchen and limited time

Topics of particular interest

  • Recipes you have tested at least three times
  • Technique deep-dives (knife skills, heat, fermentation, doughs, sauces)
  • Cookbook reviews -- honest takes, not blurbs
  • Restaurant reviews -- with disclosure of any conflict
  • Food-system reporting (labor, supply chain, policy, climate)
  • Food history and food culture essays
  • Profiles of cooks, farmers, butchers, fermenters, and other practitioners
  • Equipment reviews after a year of real use

Before you pitch

Take a look at our content templates. They show exactly how we structure each type of piece, front matter fields, sections, and what we expect in each. Pick the template that matches what you want to write and shape your pitch around it.

How to pitch

Use the form below or our contact form with "Pitch:" in the subject line.

What is the piece about? Why does it matter? What evidence will you use? (Under 400 words)
Link to one or two examples of your writing

We respond to pitches that interest us within two weeks.

Other ways to contribute

Writing articles is not the only way to contribute. You can also:

See all submission options at /submit/.

Writing style

  • Write in plain English -- this is a publication for cooks, not academics
  • Lead with what the dish or piece actually is
  • Use short paragraphs and clear topic sentences
  • Avoid passive voice unless it serves clarity
  • No clickbait headlines -- say what the piece is
  • No emoji in headings or body text

For full visual and brand guidelines, see the style guide.

Rights and compensation

The Umami Post is currently a volunteer-run publication. We do not pay for contributions at this time. Contributors retain copyright and grant us a non-exclusive license to publish. You may republish your work elsewhere after 30 days.

All published work includes a byline, author bio, and permanent author page on the site.

Editorial standards

All submissions are subject to our editorial ethics policy. We fact-check claims, verify sources, and publish corrections promptly when errors are discovered. See our corrections log for examples.