Jimi Famurewa replaces Fay Maschler as Evening Standard chief restaurant critic

10-Dec-2020 - Last updated on 10-Dec-2020 at 13:11 GMT

The Evening Standard has appointed Jimi Famurewa as chief restaurant critic following Fay Maschler’s announcement that she will be stepping back from the role after 48 years.

Maschler joined the Evening Standard in 1972 after winning a competition for the chance to review restaurants. She has been presented with numerous accolades throughout her career including Critic of the Year at the British Press Awards. In 2004, she was awarded an MBE for services to journalism.

Maschler will continue to contribute to the Evening Standard, beginning with the annual wrap-up of her ‘meals of the year’ on 16December.

“It will be a wrench to stop reviewing restaurants, especially in this perilous time for hospitality, but I am pleased to continue to contribute to the paper,” says Maschler, who will become restaurant critic at Tatler.

Famurewa has served as food critic for The Evening Standard’s weekly ES Magazine since 2018 and won the Restaurant Writing Award from the Guild of Food Writers for his “Jimi Eats World” column in 2020. His first piece as chief restaurant critic will be published on 6 January.

“Fay Maschler leaves figuratively enormous shoes to fill,” said Famurewa. “But I hope to continue the boundless curiosity, rigour and insatiable passion for the job that she has set in place.”

The Evening Standard has not yet announced who will replace Famurewa as food critic for ES Magazine.