eatPGH is in transition. This group of four women, dedicated to promoting the food scene in Pittsburgh, is so much more than the blog they began in 2009. Since their start they have gathered an enormous following, published two books with another on the way, and began an urban dinner series in the area. Julia Gongaware, Mandy McFadden, Sarah Sudar, and Laura Zorch are the women behind this ever growing brand, and while dining on the city’s best food might not seem like hard work, they are grateful there is four of them to help cover the job.
I met with Mandy and Sarah for dinner at Grit & Grace (also covered in this issue), and found out Sarah was coming off of a juice cleanse. Apparently feasting on delicious meals for a living can become a heavy endeavor and periodically one or all of them will do a cleanse to compensate. In true eatPGH fashion they blog about their cleansing experience so their readers can follow along. I was honored to help break the fast, as it were.
As we dined on dim sum, steamed buns, short ribs, and a seemingly endless stream of small plates, I found out how eatPGH has grown from a hobby to a full-fledged brand. “In some ways, the first book really fell into our laps, and we were able to take it from there,” Mandy says humbly. But the truth is that the incredible following they attracted through their thorough local food coverage made them the perfect authors of a local restaurant guide (or three).
“Pittsburghers love Pittsburgh,” Sarah said, and this was evidenced when their first book, Food Lovers’ Guide to Pittsburgh became one of the top-selling edition of the Food Lovers’ Guide Series. It was also evidence of the stellar job these ladies do at promoting Pittsburgh restaurants.
They are quick to point out that they are not food critics. “We are not classically trained chefs, and we aren’t interested in reviewing the technical aspects of cuisine,” Mandy states. They say they are more interested in telling Pittsburgh where to find the best foods from the perspective of the average customer. Mandy goes on to say, “We are just regular diners, so we try to describe the restaurants’ food and experience from that point of view, and our followers have really responded to it.”
As our bellies grew full and the juice cleanse was officially over, I started prying a bit about the ladies’ lives outside of their jobs and eatPGH, but it seems in many ways this project is the love of their lives. They have begun organizing an Urban Supper series where they create a pop-up restaurant for a one-night event that brings together several of the area’s top chefs to create unique menus for their guests. They hosted single mingles (where more than one couple was lucky in love). And they have a progressive brunch that features several restaurants along the way. Their goal, they say, is to move towards a more community-based approach to promoting the Pittsburgh food scene.
Their blog, www.eatPGH.com is still thriving and they continue to scope out the area for new and hidden gems, but they are excited about the ways they can bring people together from all walks of life who might otherwise never meet. It is this notion of food bringing people together that makes eatPGH special. Mandy and Sarah say that when the four of them are eating together, they gossip, laugh, and vent the way everyone does over a good meal. The food is in many ways incidental, while being the best accessory to their friendship.
The four women share a passion for Pittsburgh, food, and Pittsburgh food, but they are also passionate about providing helpful information and tips to make the dining experience less intimidating to the average non-foodie. “I think our average reader might be a little intimidated by some of the restaurants we love, so we want to show them how much fun it can be to try something new,” Sarah says.
The foursome began their work when the city was developing some cutting-edge restaurants and many world-class chefs were returning to Pittsburgh. The ladies think the technology boom here has pushed the city to create more modern food, and they’re happy to be along for the delicious ride. On the eve of the publishing of their third book, eatPGH is excited about what is next for them and the Pittsburgh food scene. As they transition into the next stage, the women of eatPGH are hungry for all that is ahead.
Learn more at www.eatpgh.com and follow them on Twitter and Instagram
@eatPGH.