Chefs turn to newsletters to share their stories

It’s no secret that many restaurants are struggling in these turbulent economic times. One way chefs are coping with the many challenges they face is to blog about it. Increasingly, chefs are creating newsletters on Substack and similar platforms to put their struggles in front of a wider audience. Lisa Ludwinski, owner of Sister Pie in Detroit, Michigan and author of the eponymously-named cookbook, created a Substack in June of 2025.

Ludwinski’s Substack came shortly after she announced that her restaurant would be closing temporarily due to financial pressures. She is one of the hundreds of chefs who have started a newsletter, at least partly to warn others about their efforts to say afloat in the restaurant business. “If I were a person thinking of starting the bakery business, you only see the romanticism of it and not see the internal struggles that could happen. And I think that’s helpful for people,” says Ludwinski.

Renowned chefs and small entrepreneurs alike have decided that writing about their work could improve results in their restaurants. Grant Achatz started a Substack in conjunction with Alinea’s 20th anniversary. His “eccentric writing” allows people to peer behind the curtain and learn how he approaches his cooking. Newsletters provide a platform that can create connections with patrons and generate buzz to keep people coming into the restaurant. What they do not do, for most restaurants, is bring in meaningful amounts of revenue. Ludwinski says her Substack accounts for only about 6% of the bakery’s revenue.

I have only subscribed to one chef newsletter, partly because I reached subscription fatigue. There is only so much time in the day I can devote to reading. What has your experience been with restaurant and/or chef newsletters?