Food & Hospitality PR
Food and hospitality businesses are built on vision, creativity and hard-won experience.
But passion alone doesn’t automatically translate into media coverage.
It can be frustrating when other businesses seem to get all the attention — even though yours is just as deserving.
That’s where Strategic PR comes in.
Who I work with
My clients include:
Restaurants and wine bars
Catering and private dining businesses
Food-focused accommodation and retreats
Food and wine experiences, tours and festivals
Strategic PR is worth considering if you:
have a strong vision for what you’re building
care about how your business is represented publicly
want earned media coverage that reflects the substance of your work
understand that meaningful coverage takes time and attention to detail
You don’t need to be new. You just need a business with a clear point of difference that deserves attention.
What Strategic PR does
Strategic PR helps shape how your business is understood by the media — and, by extension, by potential guests and clients.
It focuses on securing earned media coverage across newspapers, magazines, digital publications, as well as TV, radio and podcasts. This coverage is editorial, not paid advertising, which means it carries credibility and influence that marketing alone can’t achieve.
For food and hospitality businesses, this can include:
coverage of a new venue, concept or offering
features that explore the story behind the business
profiles of owners, chefs or key staff
inclusion in curated dining guides or “best of” lists
Coverage may appear in national and state food and lifestyle publications such as Broadsheet, Good Food, Time Out and Gourmet Traveller, among others.
Over time, consistent media coverage can:
increase awareness among people actively seeking places to dine
reinforce trust and credibility
create third-party validation that supports bookings and enquiries
provide content you can share across your own channels
contribute to longer-term digital visibility, including SEO
PR isn’t instant, and it isn’t guaranteed. But done well, it can play a meaningful role in building long-term visibility and reputation.
Why work with me?
Before working in PR, I owned and operated a restaurant. I understand the realities you’re dealing with and the pressure that comes with running a food or hospitality business.
I bring established relationships across food, lifestyle and mainstream media, and a deep understanding of how those outlets work.
I don’t overpromise or take a scattergun approach.
My goal is to secure coverage that makes sense for your business and helps build credibility over time.
I’m a sole operator, so you deal directly with me.
Meet Julia Hume
Before working in PR, I owned and operated Pentolina, an Italian restaurant in the Melbourne CBD, for five years. Prior to that, I worked as a senior adviser to the Victorian Government on business regulation, and earlier in my career I was a civil litigation lawyer.
That background has shaped my approach to PR — grounded in deep analysis, robust research and attention to detail. I bring resilience, determination and strong professional judgement, particularly in complex or high-pressure environments.
I understand how food and hospitality businesses are portrayed in the media. I’m skilled at identifying the right angle, language and positioning to ensure your business’s point of difference is clear and newsworthy.
I believe in quality over quantity, and I tailor each PR pitch to the journalist and outlet.
How I work
Every engagement starts with a discovery call to understand your business, your goals and the media you want to reach.
From there, I offer two ways of working.
Option 1: PR retainer
Investment: $3,000 + GST per month
Timeline: Minimum 3 months
This option suits businesses with an evolving story, where flexibility and continuity are important.
A PR retainer provides ongoing support, shaped around what’s most impactful at any given time. This may include:
PR strategy and advice
Developing and refining your story and business messaging
Guidance on the timing of announcements, launches or invitations
Drafting media releases, bios and pitch documents
Preparing a media kit, including imagery
Developing and maintaining a targeted media list
Pitching to relevant media
Media follow-ups
Interview preparation
Event planning and guest list management
Reporting on activity and outcomes
Working together over time allows us to test different angles, refine the story and see what resonates with the media. It also means I can respond promptly to opportunities and shifts in the media landscape as they arise.
I recommend a minimum of three months because PR takes time to build momentum. Even if you secure a strong result early on, the real value comes from building on that coverage.
Option 2: Project-based PR
Investment: From $5,000 + GST
Timeline: Flexible
Project-based PR is designed for situations where there’s a single, clearly defined story or angle to focus on, rather than ongoing or exploratory PR with multiple narratives.
This option may be suitable if you have:
a new business or offering
a launch or re-introduction
a specific campaign or announcement
A typical project may include:
clarification of the core story or media angle
drafting a media release and supporting pitch materials
preparation of key media assets, such as a short bio and imagery
pitching to a targeted list of relevant media
managing media enquiries during the campaign period
a short campaign summary at the conclusion of pitching
Projects are tightly scoped, with timing and deliverables agreed upfront.
Considering PR support?
I offer a free discovery call to talk through your goals and the best way to achieve them.
From there, I’ll outline a detailed scope and costs.
Book a call or submit an online enquiry to get the ball rolling.