The Handbook
Food & Lifestyle Writer/Creator
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Do you live and breathe London? Know the best listening bar in Peckham, the latest sushi opening in Soho, and the chef everyone is going to be talking about next?
The Handbook is looking for a Food & Lifestyle Writer / Creator with an insatiable appetite for the London food scene and a proven ability to bridge editorial journalism with viral video content. This role features a true 50/50 split between site and social: half your time will be spent creating high-performing written content across editorial and commercial briefs (including site features, restaurant reviews, news pieces, and SEO guides), and the other half will be spent in the field filming and editing short-form video content. This includes taking full ownership of our flagship Chef Talks series on Instagram and TikTok, producing dynamic social restaurant reviews, and overseeing The Handbook’s venue partnerships program.
We are after a writer who can do far more than just put words on a page. You will be out and about capturing the buzz of the city: filming reels, conducting on-camera chef interviews, attending launches, reviewing restaurants across site and social, managing venue relationships, and creating scroll-stopping content across all of our channels. You will be confident on camera, sharp on trends, and driven to make every post, review, campaign, and article perform.
Responsibilities
- Own & Grow Chef Talks: Take total ownership of our popular Chef Talks series across Instagram and TikTok, handling everything from pitching, booking, and interviewing top chefs to filming, editing, and publishing high-engagement short-form videos.
- Restaurant Reviews Across Platforms: Deliver authoritative, engaging restaurant reviews for both the website (in-depth written articles, SEO guides, and feature pieces) and social channels (fast-paced video reviews, reel tours, and first-look menu coverage).
- Oversee Venue Partnerships: Lead and nurture The Handbook’s key venue partnerships, building strong relationships with London’s top restaurants, bars, and hospitality groups to secure exclusive access, co-branded features, and commercial opportunities.
- Editorial & Commercial Site Content: Write engaging, SEO-savvy features, insider guides, and editorial content for the website, alongside polished commercial copy for client partnerships. On-site content often runs alongside social media activations, so the ability to think cross-platform is essential.
- Social Content Creation: Conceptualise, shoot, and edit high-performing social video content for both organic editorial coverage and paid commercial venue campaigns across Instagram and TikTok.
- Represent The Handbook: Attend press launches, tastings, and industry events, serving as a confident on-camera host and ambassador for the brand.
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What We’re Looking For
- Dual Skillset: Proven experience in both digital journalism and short-form video creation (Instagram Reels, TikTok) across both editorial and commercial projects.
- Restaurant Reviewing Expertise: A strong critical eye and culinary knowledge, with a proven ability to write insightful written restaurant reviews and create engaging, visual video reviews for social media.
- On-Camera Presence & Interviewing: Confident, charismatic on-camera style with a track record of hosting or interviewing talent (experience managing a recurring video series is a major plus).
- Industry & Venue Network: A strong network of London food, drink, and hospitality contacts, with experience managing venue partnerships and commercial deliverables.
- Multi-Platform Copywriting: Exceptional written skills with the versatility to adapt copy across web editorial, restaurant reviews, commercial client briefs, SEO guides, and newsletter formats.
- Technical Know-How: Expertise in mobile video production and editing apps (CapCut, Premiere Pro, or similar) alongside a strong grasp of SEO, AI search trends, and web analytics.
- Organisation & Drive: Highly organised and capable of balancing written deadlines, video editing workflows, and commercial partner management in a fast-paced environment.
- Exceptional Time Management: With a fast-paced role and competing deadlines, this role requires impeccable time management and the ability to prioritise.
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What You Get
- £28k+ base salary (DOE)
- Opportunities for career progression within a fast-growing digital magazine
- Access to top-tier industry events, tastings, trips, and perks
- WFH Fridays
Hiring Process
- 15-minute video call meet & greet
- 15-minute video call with Digital Editor
- Written + social video task
- 45-minute face-to-face interview in our Wandsworth office
Ready to join London’s ultimate insider team? Send your CV, cover letter, portfolio/writing samples, and links to your short-form video work/reels to careers@thehandbook.com with the subject line: Food & Lifestyle Writer/Creator.
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