A Day In The Life Of… Josh Barrie, Freelance Food And Drink Writer At The Standard And The New European

Whether it’s covering the UK’s hottest new restaurants and bars, or writing love letters to nostalgic dishes, Josh Barrie conjures up beautiful food imagery and marries it with rigorous journalistic practice.

We caught up with him at the Student Publication Association‘s 2024 National Conference to talk through his day in the life as a food and drinks writer at The Standard, formerly The Evening Standard, and the newsletter writer for CODE Hospitality.

How do you start your day?

It varies from day to day, and it depends if I’m on shift for The Standard or not. Most likely, I’ll get up about half seven, have two coffees (maybe three) go up into town (London), go into The Standard office. or maybe the CODE office, or work from home. I’ll still get up reasonably early unless I’ve given myself the morning off, [perhaps] if I’ve flown in from somewhere and I’m tired.

I’ll go through emails, doom scroll on Twitter, procrastinate for a long time, walk around, have a fried egg sandwich, dither… And then, if I’ve got a commission, I’ll write that, or I’ll pitch or catch up with people. The gym. I think that’s very important. Exercise makes you feel good. I sort of motor in the morning, and then I’ll flag, and when I start to flag, I’ll go to the gym. And then I’ll come back and then in the afternoon I tend to have a bit more energy to get things done.

Growing up, what career did you aspire to?

I have absolutely no idea. I didn’t ever have any designs on being anything really. I just grew up and loved football. And then obviously, I’ve always loved food. In my teenage years, my dad was a chef, so I wanted to be a chef. I worked in his pub and worked in my local pub too, always in the kitchen.

It was a great profession, and I could’ve happily carried on that. But I always loved fiction. I was obsessed with reading novels since the age that I could; just novels, novels, novels, novels.

Maybe in late secondary school and during my A Levels, my teachers were like: “You should maybe do writing.” So I was like: “Oh alright, I’ll do that then.” I had one teacher at my school, who probably hated me, but she also said: “You really need to do writing.” She was a good supporting force in that.

Why do you think you got the job you do currently? 

The NCTJ. I’m very much an advocate for it, because if you’ve got creative edge or a love for writing and a passion, that can’t be taught. You’re probably born with that, or you grow up with that and you’re nurtured into it. But you need to be able to apply that skill in a pragmatic and practical way to make a living out of it. And that’s what NCTJ does.

Now I’m 34, and I’ve done quite a lot, so quite a lot of what I write is lived experience; for example, my piece on Diporto. I’ve been there a couple times so I can draw on that.

It’s weird, because I feel like I’m just sort of transitioning from budding and having grand designs, realising not many of them will ever manifest, but just about making a living out of it. And I’ve had some experience in daily newspapers, weekly newspapers […] grinding away, writing news, which is great and a very important profession.

What are you most proud of in your work?

I don’t know, not one thing. I’m just happy that I just about make a living out of my writing. I’m not super successful or anything, but I just about make it work, so that’s pretty cool. And travelling and eating and having a nice time can be fun. But it’s not all like that, so don’t get bogged down in the glamorous stuff. Don’t chase that, I’d say. If it happens, it happens.

What is something you were told early on which stuck with you?

I really do think that starting in local newspapers and in news is a grounding that gives you a sense of perspective. It’s journalism, right? I don’t think it’s possible to jump straight into food writing unless you’re a celebrity. I think it’s important to become a reporter or a journalist in news or an editorial assistant at a magazine.

There’s such a thing as sort of paying your dues in the nitty gritty and the nuts and bolts. I got into journalism by being a local reporter for a long time, in just news and then doing freelance and pitching and working all hours; working nine to five and then six to 12. Maybe I wouldn’t suggest it, for mental health. But then again, that is how I did it.

What advice would you have for someone just starting out?

Everyone needs editing, so don’t ever be precious about it. And if you can develop a bit of a thick skin about it, you can get to a point where you can say to the editor: “I understand why you’ve done this, but I was really happy this sentence.”

Writing mostly for The Standard, my editor David Ellis will be cut-throat a lot of the time, but it will inevitably lead to a better piece. A good editor will leave the best bits in, but it’ll always most likely benefit from being shorter than you file, and being snappier than you file.

What is one thing you would most like to change about the journalism industry?

Democratisation from all backgrounds. Journalism wasn’t presented to me as a possible career at my school. So, I think it should be democratised and give opportunities to a broader spectrum of society. Stuff like the Student Publication Association, improving state education, funding, being more inclusive and giving people a chance. If someone can write, it shouldn’t matter.

How do you relax outside of work? 

My time is my own because I’m freelance mostly. I love the gym and I love watching football, that’s my other thing. I support Crystal Palace. Or just going out to eat, going to the pub. I love to travel a lot, mooch around, and I’m very fortunate to go on some press trips here and there.

I’m also trying to read again because I’ve stopped doing that. When life’s busy and you’re like a sardine on the tube, you can’t really read a book, so I just watch stuff on my phone. I absolutely love that, I completely love escapism and films and just watching nonsense, I’ve probably watched Friends all the way through like 10 times, it’s like therapy to me. Sometimes you just need to unwind.