A veteran food critic who took extreme measures to preserve his anonymity is finally ripping off the mask as he steps down from his role.
The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema sported everything from fat suits to fake teeth in a bid to keep his identity top secret.
But after 25 years he has handed in his notice and is hanging up the disguises for good.
Sietsema's columns and social media have been notable devoid of his likeness since he took up the role in 2000.
During that time he has penned more than 1,200 full restaurant reviews and dined at roughly 10 establishments per week.
He hoped that by maintaining anonymity, he would be able to get an authentic restaurant experience and not one geared towards a celebrity critic.
But in his final column, he revealed the enormous challenge of maintaining a secret identity in today's world.
'It’s almost impossible to review anonymously for any length of time, especially now given technology, but also the reality that owners, chefs, managers and servers move around and are quick to spot anyone whose job might affect theirs,' Sietsema said.
Tom Sietsema stepped down from his role as the Washington Post's feared restaurant critic
Sietsema's columns and social media have been devoid of his likeness since he started the role in 2000
Sietsema tried a whole host of disguises, but found that the best way to fly under the radar is with a set of fake teeth or a convention badge.
Which he said locals, 'would never be caught wearing outside a meeting.'
Sietsema was known to use credit cards under aliases and kept himself out of as many photos as possible, even with family and friends, according to Eater.
While eating, he avoided being obvious about taking photos or talking about anything that might incriminate him as a critic.
In many cases, Sietsema's careful anonymity worked its magic, leading him to burn restaurants with scathing reviews when they couldn't be on their best behavior.
One scathing review in 2018 was titled: 'La Vie on the Wharf is so bad I'm only writing about it as a warning.'
In another, he gave a popular DC restaurant zero stars and said: 'The temptation to finish an order is zero.'
In 2006, he wrote of a now-closed French restaurant: 'At least the water is cold.'
Sietsema even avoided taking photos with family and friends in hopes of preserving his image
He wore wigs, hats, sunglasses, and even fat suits as he tried to fly under the radar at popular restaurants across the US
Some of his critics argued he focuses too much on 'upscale dining,' but Sietsema argued that he enjoys eating at Popeye's and snacking on Fritos with peanut butter just as much as a gourmet meal.
He gave one star reviews sparingly and praised generously, but his anonymous unpredictability kept restaurateurs on their toes for decades.
And even if he hated it the first time, he wasn't above giving restaurants a second chance.
Sietsema has no plans to leave the world of food altogether amidst his departure.
He said he plans to cook more, travel more, and 'stay connected with fellow food enthusiasts.'
And more importantly, go out to eat without worrying about wigs and fake teeth.
'It’s going to be strange the first time I book a table under my own name and don’t monitor what I say in public. Free to be me, and all that. And it will be interesting to see who reaches for the bill next meal out,' he wrote.
But he was not naïve to his reputation and said: 'Love me or loathe me, I've learned from you all.'