Principal Skinner bids students farewell as they set off on a field trip to the Springfield Shopper newspaper. Homer, acting as a parent volunteer, drives some of the students to the paper’s headquarters. During the tour, Homer is distracted by the scent of fresh cake somewhere in the building. He heads off to find its source. It turns out that the cake is part of a going-away party for a jaded food critic named Mimi.

Lifeway’s editor notices Homer happily consuming the cake with abandon. As the editor is interested in replacing Mimi with a writer who doesn ’t "pooh-pooh everything he eats," Homer is offered the opportunity to try out for the food critic position. Homer’s writing sample, however, is viewed as a joke.

He races home, where Lisa offers to help him author a new review. The lifeway’s editor embraces the second writing sample, and the review is published in the newspaper. For their next article, Homer and Lisa decide to create a puff piece focusing on Apu’s heat lamp hot dogs.

Once the story hits the stands, the hot dogs are suddenly all the rage, and trendy young Springfieldites line up for the snack. Homer and Lisa then collaborate on articles featuring Planet Springfield (which is co-owned by McBain, Chuck Norris and Madeleine Albright); the Happy Sumo; and a rotating restaurant. But a group of fellow critics working at the newspaper take Homer to task for lauding every restaurant with positive reviews.

Homer decides to change his strategy. In his next review, that of the Springfield Dinner Theater, Homer not only pans the food, he also slams Krusty the Clown’s performance. His take on Luigi’s restaurant is also mean-spirited. But when Homer criticizes Marge’s homemade pork chops, Lisa decides to throw in the towel. Homer decides that he doesn’t need his daughter and beings authoring his own reviews.

Meanwhile, restaurateurs from throughout Springfield, including the Sea Captain, Luigi and Akira, plot to do away with Homer. They turn to a grizzled French chef for help. He devices a scheme to slip Homer "la bombe, "the deadliest pastry known to France, during the upcoming Taste of Springfield festival.

As the festival gets underway, Homer samples food from the various booths. Luckily, Bart overhears the restaurateur ’s plot to do in his father with the deadly eclair. He relays the information to Lisa, who, thinking quickly, tells Homer that the dessert he is about to consume is low fat.

Homer responds by tossing the pastry like a bomb. It explodes on the horizon. He then thanks Lisa for saving his life. But before he quits the newspaper, he authors one last review: a glowing piece on Marge’s homemade pork chops.