Call for Pitches: Off-Menu Issue 03 (CLOSED)
Stories across generations.
Off-Menu is an independent, community-driven magazine exploring the world of food and drink through storytelling. Through considered visual narratives, we spotlight the people working behind the scenes — from producers and chefs to baristas, front of house, back of house, and beyond. You can find our magazine here and at select stockists worldwide. You can also keep up with our projects via Instagram at @offmenumag.
Hello everyone! This is Sophie, editor-in-chief of Off-Menu. After releasing our first two print issues, I’m excited to finally open the pitch call for Issue 03.
For Issue 01 and 02, many of the stories were shaped early in the editorial process, with writers and photographers commissioned from the outset. This time, we wanted to try something different. We’re curious to hear from people all over the world, and to consider the many ideas, perspectives, and interpretations the theme might invite.
We’re really looking forward to reading your pitches and seeing how this issue comes together.
Our upcoming Issue 03 will explore the stories of multi-generational family projects within the food and beverage world.
We are looking for pitches that focus on the story of one specific family and their project — from restaurants, bars, cafés, farms, and producers to initiatives or organizations operating on the periphery of the industry.
The project may be ongoing or discontinued; what matters most is the depth of the story and how the family’s work unfolds over time.
We welcome pitches from anywhere in the world and are especially interested in building a geographically diverse issue, allowing similarities and differences between cultural contexts to emerge across stories.
Long-form features (priority)
We are primarily looking to commission long-form features that centre on one specific family and their project. These can take one of two forms:
Research-led or investigative features that explore a family-run project through reporting, interviews, and historical or cultural context
Personal essays about your own family project — one you are part of, grew up around, or are directly connected to
Stories may be written in the first or third person. In both cases, we are interested in how individual experiences intersect with larger questions of time, labour, heritage, and family dynamics.
We are particularly drawn to stories that incorporate or reference archival materials — photographs, documents, menus, letters, or other family records. The ability to include scans or images of these archives as part of the final story is a major plus.
Ideas to explore
Legacy, heritage, and inheritance
Inter-generational dynamics and decision-making
The evolution of family projects across generations
The influence of historical events and social context
Domestic and familial structures within specific cultures
New generations in conversation with older ways of working
Food before and after the digital era
Time, memory, and the passage of time
Other formats (short-form, visual)
Alongside long-form features, we are also open to pitches in other formats that respond to the theme in your own way. This might include:
Short-form writing (recipes, poetry, etc.)
Photo series or photo essays
Visual or experimental interpretations of the theme
Think…
A family-run restaurant adapting its identity as leadership shifts between generations
A farm, vineyard, or producer where knowledge is passed down through practice rather than documentation
Siblings or relatives negotiating shared ownership and creative direction
A family project shaped by migration, political change, or economic pressure
An iconic long-running family business that eventually closed, and what remains after its final chapter
Photography contributors
In addition to pitches for photo series or photo essays, we are also looking for photographers who would like to be commissioned to create imagery to accompany selected written features.
As story locations will only be confirmed once pitches are selected, photographers will be considered based on a combination of portfolio, location, and availability. If there’s a strong fit, we’ll be in touch to coordinate a shoot.
To be considered, please submit your portfolio based on the instructions below.
Rates
We’re a small, self-funded publication with a limited production budget. For the first time, we will be offering a flat-rate honorarium of $50 USD + a copy of Issue 03 to all contributors.
We know this is incredibly modest and truly appreciate your understanding. In return, we are committed to thoughtful editing, careful presentation, and active promotion of all published work.
Photographers shooting on film will be reimbursed for film and development costs, up to a budget agreed upon in advance.
Instructions & what to include
Please send all pitches and portfolios to pitch@offmenumag.com.
Email subject line:
ISSUE 03 PITCH — Your Name
ISSUE 03 PHOTO PORTFOLIO — Your Name
Deadlines:
General pitches: January 11, 2026, at 9:00am EST
Photography portfolios: January 18, 2026, at 9:00am EST
For all pitches:
Tell us a little about yourself
Include a few links to relevant work that reflects your voice, style, or approach (this can be published work, personal projects, or from a personal blog)
Please include the full pitch in the body of the email
If you are pitching multiple ideas, include them all in one email
(!!!) Very important:
Please clearly state whether the piece is already drafted (in full or in part), and its current stage of completion. If so, please include a link to the draft in the email.
For pitches that have not yet been written or photographed, please confirm that you will be able to conduct interviews, gather relevant materials, and draft the piece in the month of January, or by early–mid February at the latest, to align with our editorial timeline
All accepted contributors will take part in a collaborative editing process, with several rounds of edits. Issue 03 is scheduled for release in late summer / early fall 2026.
Happy pitching!
I think I have a perfect story
Question❤️ since our pitches will likely have attachments like pictures, would we submit them in a doc file?