Mimi Sheraton became the Time's critic in 1975 after being a freelance critic for over twenty years, for eight years she was the readers' gastronomic guide. She played a key role in aiding natives and visitors figure out a place to eat which only helped the tourism in the United States. She was the only one at the time that tasted all 1,196 items in the Bloomingdale's food department for an article in New York magazine over the course of eleven months. Her detailed descriptions were what made her stand out by often explaining the foods, describing restaurant practices, and demystifying unknown cuisines. However, overall Sheraton always told the truth and was honest with readers. In 1978 she complained about a bistro and even told them to avoid anything made with a cream or near-cream sauce. "We have higher quality conversations in restaurants than at home. It's as though we rise to the occasion by selecting worth-while, less mundane subjects to discuss when eating out."