Veteran reporter Bob Vitale is excited to tackle the Columbus dining scene
Why did I become a journalist?
I guess I'm kind of a gossip, when you get down to it. I love sharing information (accurate and properly sourced, of course!) with people. We all encounter things every day that we wonder about. As a journalist, I get to find answers. I spent the last four years away from the profession, and I missed it terribly. I'm incredibly happy to be back.
Why I'm excited to cover the Columbus dining scene
My journalism background is in hard news − government and politics, mostly − so it's a refreshing new challenge for me. And there is so much to cover in an area that's a big part of most people's lives. I look forward to covering every part of the dining scene in Columbus, from the creative people bringing us the next big thing to the under-the-radar favorites in every neighborhood and community, to the serious issues facing the industry.
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My favorite Columbus restaurant
Just one? Barcelona in German Village is our go-to celebration place. Mi Li Cafe in Northland is our favorite breakfast place. Chinese is Joy Food One in our neighborhood on the Northeast Side, although we'll drive out of our way for dim sum at Ty Ginger. Italian is Marcella's at Polaris. I love the fish tacos at Bakersfield, the horseradish mashed potatoes at the Eagle, and the red curry ramen at Slurping Turtle.
A story I have worked on that has had a lasting impact on me
In 2020, I wrote an article for Columbus Monthly about a man named James Eldridge, who had been a local celebrity of sorts in the 1970s. He was a radio call-in host, knew everyone in town. After he was murdered, though, by a man he picked up at a Downtown bar in 1978, his family and everyone he knew in town disowned him posthumously. His cremated remains had sat on a shelf in a storage closet at Greenlawn Cemetery for 42 years.
After the story ran, people donated money for a marker and internment for Mr. Eldridge in the Huntington Abbey. I was able to attend a small memorial service for him the next spring.
What is the biggest challenge I face?
Well, I've been moderately successful since the spring at eating healthy and losing a little weight − and now I'm the dining reporter! I'm pretty determined to stay on track, though.
What I like to do when I'm not working
I'm a devoted and long-suffering fan of Cleveland sports teams and the Blue Jackets, who are kind of an honorary Cleveland team in that regard.
My partner and I enjoy traveling. We visited my mother's family's hometown of Bari, Italy, in 2019, and we took an amazing trip to Kenya last year to visit that country's national parks and elephant sanctuaries.
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Why journalism matters
In the short time I've been back at The Dispatch after 10 years away, I've seen a lot that has changed in journalism. But I've been inspired by all that remains the same. The people who dedicate themselves to gathering and reporting the news do it not for their own personal ego or benefit but because they are committed to keeping people informed about their communities and the world around them.
rvitale@dispatch.com
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Get to know the Dispatch's new dining reporter, Bob Vitale
