The New York Times on Wednesday announced major changes to its iconic Dining beat: the appointment of two co-chief restaurant critics and an expansion into video reviews. Since Wells’ departure, Priya Krishna and Melissa Clark — known to many as stalwarts of the Times’ Cooking app — have operated as interim critics. As co-chief critics, Rao and Mishan will be deployed to review restaurants nationwide, allowing the Times to review more restaurants outside the five boroughs. But stars, previously exclusive to New York dining, will now also be awarded to restaurants across the country. Traditionally, the Times maintained its critics’ anonymity to avoid special treatment and more honestly assess the average dining experience.
