On Monday 5 October 2026, the Guild’s Mentorship Coordinator, Angela Zaher hosted an event on our mentorship scheme. One of the main purposes of a guild is to pass on and promote the craft that underlies it and our mentorship scheme exemplifies this for food writing. With the help of a panel that shared their experiences either as mentor (Karen Barnes) or mentee (Claire Ruston and Sofia Gallo), the event covered the history of the scheme, how it works and key points to consider before embarking on the scheme including how to get the most out of a six month mentorship.

1 History

Former president of the Guild Orlando Murrin (2019-2024) set it up. Drawing on his mentoring experience and advice from sister Guilds, he developed the scheme with Jenny Hammerton, whose organisational skills and empathy proved invaluable. After a successful pilot involving two mentors and two mentees, the scheme officially launched in January 2021. Strong feedback and a growing waiting list confirmed its success. Since then, it has been continually refined and improved. Orlando considers the mentoring scheme one of his proudest achievements as President and a valuable benefit for Guild members.

2 How it Works

Angela has been running the scheme since February 2023 in much the same way it was set up.  Interested members submit a form to be a mentor or mentee and that sets off a discussion as to availability and timeline.  Links to these forms are set out in our monthly newsletter.

We run mentorships twice a year for a period of 6 months each.  From Jan to Jun and then from July to December with a limit of 6 mentorships in each cohort, so 12 a year sometimes more, hardly ever less (other than this year when we’ll have 8).

The idea is for the mentor and mentee to meet once a month for an hour or so, virtually or in person, whatever the logistics dictate and for the mentor to guide the mentee through a specific project they need help with or more generally support them meeting a career objective.  The precise structure is worked out between mentor and mentee (note the importance of adaptability and flexibility highlighted below). There are guidelines and a code of conduct with regards to the mentorship and these are all set out on our website.

3 Key Takeaways

We set out below the main points discussed by the panel and in the Q&A that followed.

A. The value and purpose of the mentorship scheme

  • Food writing and journalism are increasingly difficult fields to enter, making mentoring particularly valuable.
  • Mentoring provides practical knowledge, encouragement, confidence and insight into how the industry works.
  • Mentees benefit from having someone experienced to help them identify strengths, develop ideas, improve pitches and stay focused.
  • Accountability is a significant benefit: regular meetings and agreed “homework” encourage mentees to keep progressing.

B. Making the most out of a mentorship

  • The six-month scheme is deliberately flexible rather than prescriptive; mentor and mentee establish their own objectives and structure.
  • The first meeting focuses on what the mentee wants to achieve, with a rough plan then evolving according to their needs.
  • Sessions may include pitch development, “pitch surgery”, idea generation, feedback and practical homework.
  • Mentors and mentees often remain in contact beyond the formal six months.
  • Matching is based not only on skills and objectives but also on personalities and whether the two people are likely to “click”.

 C. Commitment and flexibility 

  • Although meetings may only be an hour a month, the scheme involves additional work between meetings.
  • Mentees need to make sure they have the time and circumstances to participate properly.
  • Last-minute cancellations can be particularly problematic where mentors have given up substantial time or arranged face-to-face meetings.
  • At the same time, the scheme needs flexibility, because members are often juggling multiple jobs and commitments.
  • If circumstances genuinely make the timing impossible, postponing a mentorship to a later round is acceptable.

D. The reality of pitching to editors

  • Editors receive enormous volumes of emails and pitches, meaning timing and luck can play a part in whether something gets noticed.
  • Lack of a response does not necessarily mean a pitch is poor; editors may have no budget, no capacity or simply be overwhelmed.
  • However, there are clear principles that can improve the chances of a pitch being noticed.

E. How to make a pitch stand out

  • Research the publication thoroughly and understand its tone, audience, formats and existing content.
  • Pitch an idea that solves a problem for the editor and/or reader rather than simply presenting something the writer wants to write.
  • Think carefully about the headline and what will make a reader want to click or read.
  • Demonstrate in the pitch how the idea fits the publication, ideally referencing similar material it has already published.
  • Identify your distinctive expertise or “added value” and concentrate on your particular strengths.

F. The changing commissioning landscape

  • Budgets and editorial teams are smaller, and some publications no longer commission certain types of material externally.
  • Writers therefore need to be adaptable: consider online as well as print, different sections or formats, and publications beyond the obvious major titles.
  • There are significant opportunities among independent and niche magazines, many of which are less visible on mainstream newsstands.

G. Getting work and dealing with rejection

  • Rejection is an unavoidable part of writing and should not necessarily be interpreted as a judgement on the quality of the writer.
  • Editors are increasingly busy and may be less willing to take risks on unknown writers, making it particularly important to get a pitch in front of the right person and make it immediately engaging.
  • Small changes can make a major difference — for example, tightening a pitch and reducing its word count.
  • Having an experienced mentor who has actually commissioned or edited large numbers of pitches gives mentees valuable insider knowledge about what works.

H. Finding alternative routes into publication

  • Smaller features or short pieces can provide a “test bed” for an editor to take a chance on an unfamiliar writer.
  • Writers can consider collaborating with photographers, stylists or recipe creators to offer editors a complete, cost-effective package.
  • Building relationships and networking are important, particularly putting a face to a name, although the mentorship scheme is not intended as a route to obtaining a mentor’s contacts.

I. Maintaining confidence and perspective

  • Persistence is essential; repeated rejection or silence should not necessarily be interpreted as failure.
  • Mentorship can help writers overcome lack of confidence, regain focus and recognise opportunities they might otherwise overlook.
  • Mentees should enter the scheme with clear objectives and realistic expectations, while mentors benefit from the satisfaction of helping someone develop and may themselves gain new skills or perspectives.

J. Other issues raised

  • Cookbook photography was discussed, with the view that arrangements vary between publishers; writers should establish their involvement in photography/styling clearly, ideally in the contract.
  • For specialist projects, a mentor does not necessarily need to have done exactly the same thing: transferable publishing experience can still be valuable.
  1. Overall Summary

The meeting’s central message was that mentoring is not simply about teaching someone how to write. It is about helping writers understand a changing industry, develop confidence and practical skills, identify opportunities, refine their voice and navigate rejection — while providing the accountability and insider perspective that are difficult to acquire alone.

The wider industry discussion reinforced that, despite a shrinking traditional market and the threat posed by AI, there are still opportunities for distinctive, personal and well-researched food writing — but writers increasingly need to be resourceful, flexible and proactive.

There is no single model of mentoring. Mentoring involves considerable listening and adaptation.  The mentor should begin by asking: What does the mentee actually want to achieve? One mentee might want to develop pitches; another might want to write a complete article; another might be moving into food writing from a different career. It can also be a two-way relationship: mentors may gain skills or knowledge from mentees.

To find out more about The Guild of Food Writers email admin@gfw.co.uk