The Dallas Observer Has A New Food Editor

As you may recall, Dallas Observer food critic (and noted hipster dreamboat) left the alt-weekly for a shiny new life in Los Angeles last December. The post has been vacant for more than a month, with Observer freelancers filling in for Reitz to file restaurant reviews. Now, though, Reitz has been officially replaced.

Via Twitter, Beaumont reporter and photojournalist Beth Rankin announced that she would officially be joining the Observer and taking over the City of Ate blog. As mentioned around the time of Reitz’s departure, the position will transition from a strictly food critic role into a Rankin's new position – food editor that would oversee the operations at the blog.

For the last six years, Rankin has been covering the food scene in Beaumont, Texas for The Beaumont Enterprise. She also launched the city's weekly arts, music, and dining magazine Cat5. Before that, she was a crime reporter and (fun fact!) spent some time in jail while covering the 2004 Republican National Convention.

Along with her indisputable street cred, Rankin brings an appreciation for craft beer to Dallas. No word yet on when exactly Beth Rankin will take the reins at City of Ate, but it’s good to know that the blog officially has a new captain.