Seven Months, 32 Reviews: Sam Sifton By the Numbers

In the seven months that Sam Sifton has been the food critic for New York Times, he has slowly recalibrated the paper’s star rating system. That's what every critic does once they assume the throne. Here now, is a pie chart of how his star ratings have skewed across his first 32. Like his predecessor, Frank Bruni, Sifton clearly favors the onespots (or the onespots that “read like deuces” as many have pointed out). He notes that a one star assessment is a positive, and it's evident in his mostly enthusiastic reviews in that category (see Fatty 'Cue, Faustina, Chin Chin). Compared to Bruni’s five and a half year tenure, Sifton has also proportionally given out fewer three spots and nearly twice as many goose eggs. But that may be the luck of the draw.

0 Stars
Mia donna, 5/19/10
Nello, 4/14/10
Choptank, 3/3/10
Le Caprice, 1/27/10
Ed's Chowder House , 12/16/09

One Star
Fatty Cue, 5/12/10
Pulino's, 5/5/10
Faustina, 4/7/10
Chin Chin , 3/24/10
Tanoreen, 2/24/10
Motorino, 2/17/10
The Breslin, 1/13/10
Purple Yam, 12/30/09
Tanuki Tavern, 12/16/09
Madangsui, 12/9/09
SD26, 12/2/09
Aureole, 11/11/09
Le Relais de Venise, 11/4/09
Impereal Palace, 10/28/09

Two Stars
The Mark, 4/28/10
SHO Shaun Hergatt, 4/21/10
Recette, 3/31/10
Strip House, 3/10/10
Novita, 2/10/10
Maialino, 1/20/10
Casa Lever, 1/6/10
A Voce Columbus, 11/25/09
Oceana, 11/18/09
DBGB, 10/14/09

Three Stars
Colicchio & Sons, 3/17/10
La Grenouille, 12/23/09
Marea, 10/21/09