Embarking on the role of leading food and drink coverage at Charlotte magazine in 2018 felt like stepping into a dream. The prospect of exploring trendy restaurants and sharing those experiences was undeniably enticing. Yet, a shadow of hesitation lingered. The unspoken fear? Gaining weight. This confession feels loaded, a stark acknowledgment of privilege intertwined with societal anxieties. Writing about culinary adventures for a living is a gift, never taken lightly. However, navigating life as a woman in the 21st century means grappling with ingrained body image pressures. From a young age, the pervasive imagery of waif-like figures on billboards and magazine covers created an internalized calorie counter. The connection between food intake and dress size became an inescapable metric of self-worth.
For years, a facade of disinterest in food masked a deeper struggle. My twenties were largely defined by self-imposed starvation, unknowingly exacerbated by an undiagnosed adrenal tumor. This condition triggered dangerously high cortisol levels, wreaking havoc on my body and rendering weight control impossible. Dismissed or misdiagnosed by doctors for over two years, the simplistic advice was always to eat less and exercise more. The eventual correct diagnosis, surgery, and appropriate medication led to physical healing, including weight loss. However, the ingrained habits of restrictive eating remained. Relearning to recognize and trust my body’s hunger cues became a daunting task, battling years of societal messaging focused on weight management. How could I reconcile this personal history with a new job demanding constant engagement with food, where dietary control was surrendered to restaurant menus?
Conch fritters, bourbon and ham skewers, mason jar s’mores, and “elevated street food”—a glimpse into the diverse and tempting Charlotte Food scene. While acknowledging the privilege of this role, maintaining ethical standards and personal well-being remains a priority. Courtesy photos.
Navigating a return to professional life after a five-year parenting break brought further shifts in the food and drink media landscape. Influencers now held considerable sway, their Instagram posts often expected in exchange for complimentary meals. Foodie culture had evolved, making it socially acceptable, even encouraged, for women to indulge in high-end dining and share their experiences online. Yet, beneath this surface of culinary celebration, a persistent social contract remained: the expectation of conventional attractiveness.
The scarcity of female food influencers who deviate from conventional beauty standards is undeniable. Attending media events amplified this observation. The landscape had shifted; compelling writing and insightful criticism were no longer sufficient. Visuals reigned supreme, often overshadowing the written word. Building a personal brand necessitated mastering the art of the selfie, capturing the perfect angle while posing with elaborate desserts. Even indulging in a burger needed to be aesthetically pleasing, manicure impeccable, cocktail perfectly complementing the outfit. Enjoyment of food was permissible, but within limits, still beholden to the pervasive demand for a thin and toned physique. This unspoken expectation disproportionately burdens women in media, a pressure rarely, if ever, applied to their male counterparts. Image management, its constant upkeep, and its appeal to followers became an implicit job requirement.
My background as a print journalist had shielded me from the pressure of cultivating a “sexy food” persona on social media. I retained the journalistic freedom to offer honest restaurant reviews, free from employer-imposed pressure to maintain a specific weight. The pressure to conform to an aesthetic ideal stemmed from a broader, omnipresent industry standard for women in visual media: the imperative to project beauty in every public sphere.
Observing seasoned media professionals in the Charlotte food scene provided insights into navigating this complex terrain. Admiringly, I watched as savvy food writers and bloggers effortlessly deployed selfie sticks, tripods, and portable lighting to capture flawless meal close-ups and posed shots with their dishes. A new protocol emerged: the collective pursuit of the “money shot” before anyone could touch their food.
Intrigued, I occasionally inquired about the strategies employed by women in this field to maintain their physiques. Responses varied from disciplined workout routines and intermittent fasting to portion control, often taking half the meal home. Those in broadcast media shared preemptive measures like avoiding alcohol and excess salt before on-camera appearances, minimizing facial puffiness.
Kathleen Purvis, a respected veteran food writer in Charlotte, offered a different perspective. She observed a binary expectation within the food world: either “lovely, thin, and glamorous” or “frumpy, old, and grumpy.” Acknowledging the pressure, she quipped about carrying “25 pounds of work weight,” but emphasized learning to let go and laugh after sixty. Early in her career, an editor’s insight that readers craved stories about indulgent desserts, deep-fried delights, and barbecue, not healthy eating, resonated deeply. The inherent contradiction: how to authentically report on calorie-laden food while projecting an image of kale-salad consumption? The answer, according to Purvis, was that it’s impossible to do both truthfully and establish oneself as a credible authority.
Judging a cocktail contest at the 2019 euphoria food and wine festival in Greenville, S.C., alongside Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel, showcasing engagement within the broader Southern food community beyond just Charlotte food. Courtesy photo.
It has been a journey to grant myself permission to fully engage with food, free from guilt or shame. Now, in my forties, the pressure to emulate twenty-something influencers has dissipated. The aspiration now aligns with the seasoned perspective of 60-something food writers who have built respected careers embracing the joys of their profession. Red velvet bread pudding and Key lime martinis are no longer off-limits, and multi-course omakase experiences are approached with enthusiastic immersion. Inspired by Anthony Bourdain’s ethos of open exploration, unfamiliar sakes are now welcomed, embracing the unknown and recognizing that profound experiences often lie beyond the familiar.
This culinary journey in the Charlotte food scene has yielded transcendent meals. Wagyu Sliders, Wild Yellowtail Sashimi, Duck L’Orange, Calabrian Chili Pappardelle—dishes that transcend simple description. And the drinks! Italian wines, gin-and-lavender cocktails, tamarind margaritas. Some moments demand to be captured and shared, exceeding the limitations of words, deserving their place in the digital realm of “food porn.”
Surprisingly, despite this immersive culinary exploration, my weight has remained remarkably stable, fluctuating only slightly. The annual Best Restaurants issue invariably brings a temporary increase, followed by a natural recalibration through mindful eating. The urge to revert to punitive starvation still surfaces occasionally. Regular Peloton rides help maintain a comfortable jean size. However, a crucial lesson has emerged: savoring good food, truly engaging with its flavors, diminishes the inclination to overeat. And as a food writer immersed in the Charlotte food scene, this authentic appreciation translates directly onto the page.
Women already navigate a landscape of bodily restrictions. Yet, the fundamental right to enjoy food and drink remains. We owe no one a forced smile, a flat stomach, or a meticulously curated Instagram post. Eating is a basic human experience, inherently free from shame. Food serves as a universal connector, a catalyst for shared stories and cultural understanding. It is meant to be enjoyed.
This role transcends mere food consumption; it has profoundly reshaped my perspective. Food is not simply decoration or a tool for personal branding. It is about the chefs, the restaurants, and, more importantly, the vibrant culture that surrounds it, particularly within the dynamic Charlotte food scene. Writing about this city through the lens of food, while savoring incredible dishes, is an unparalleled privilege. It is the luckiest break imaginable, and if it comes with a few extra “work weight” pounds, so be it.
TAYLOR BOWLER is the lifestyle editor.
