With over 61% of people reading online reviews before making a purchase decision, it’s even more important than ever to separate the good ones from the bad. But with peer reviews and professional write-ups often having contrasting opinions, who should we trust – and why?

As professional critics lament their ebbing influence on consumers who increasingly rely on the opinions of online peers, the question is being raised of whether top-down reviewers matter anymore. Are crowdsourced reviews – a sort of ‘online word of mouth’ – the only currency that counts?

Gen Yers spend five days a year browsing food images on Instagram, and 30% would avoid a restaurant with a weak Instagram presence. Instagram is key not just for discovering restaurants, but for enhancing the experience of eating at them, too.

The French are furious over British food critic Jay Rayner's mockery of their finest restaurant, Le Cinq. The review itself is excessively harsh on the restaurant and although the French media have taken considerable offence, it's making great entertainment content for the public.