Scoop: Kevin Pang joins NBC 5 Chicago as new "Food Guy"
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Kevin Pang. Photo: Courtesy of NBC 5
Longtime Chicago journalist Kevin Pang is joining NBC 5 as "The Food Guy." He will be the only dedicated food reporter on the local dial.
The big picture: Pang takes over for award-winning journalist Steve Dolinsky, who was the original "Food Guy." Dolinsky left the station last year to work for Levy Restaurants.
- His first segment will air at 10pm Thursday.
The intrigue: Pang was a longtime feature writer for the Chicago Tribune until he walked away from writing about food in 2019, citing burnout.
- Since then, he's worked on several national projects, including writing a cookbook with his father.
- He's most recently starred in two seasons of the local food television show "Poochie and Pang," which also airs on NBC 5.
What they're saying: "I got to make a TV show with Poochie from The Wiener Circle these last two years, and it's the most fun I've had on any job," Pang tells Axios.
- "The NBC Chicago team was so nice and generous throughout making that show. When they approached me after Steve left, I just had to listen."
State of play: There was a time when every station had a dedicated food reporter or restaurant critic, but stations have drastically slashed budgets and scaled back on restaurant and food coverage.
Zoom out: Pang follows new sports anchor Lou Canellis, who switched to NBC 5 from Fox 32 this week.
- "The station has been hiring a murderer's row of Chicago journalists and broadcasters of late, plus all the top-shelf reporters I've admired from afar," Pang added.
- "These jobs in TV don't come around too often, and I'd be foolish not to join this roster of journalism talents."
The bottom line: Chicago is a foodie town, so it's encouraging to see local broadcast news invest in covering it.