PR Publicist Needed for Growing Dessert Brand — Media, Podcasts, Local Press & Brand Storytelling

We are looking for an experienced PR publicist / media relations specialist to help grow visibility for White Rabbit Dessert Experience, a dessert restaurant brand with 5 locations across Buffalo, Rochester, and Orlando. We are looking for someone who can help us get real exposure through local press, food/lifestyle media, podcasts, radio, TV segments, founder stories, business features, “best dessert” lists, seasonal roundups, and other PR opportunities. We are not looking for generic social media management. We need someone who knows how to pitch, follow up, and secure real media opportunities. White Rabbit Dessert Experience is a sit-down dessert concept featuring handcrafted ice cream, waffles, crepes, sundaes, brownies, cakes, seasonal launches, and a strong founder/family-owned growth story. Our goal is to position the brand as a must-visit dessert experience in each market. Markets we want to focus on: 1. Buffalo / Western New York 2. Rochester, NY 3. Orlando, FL What we need help with: 1. Media Coverage Pitch local and regional food, lifestyle, travel, family, business, and restaurant outlets. 2. Podcast, Radio & TV Opportunities Help secure interviews, founder stories, restaurant features, local business segments, and food/dessert-related opportunities. 3. Brand Storytelling Help develop strong PR angles around our growth story, 10-year journey, handcrafted desserts, seasonal menu launches, family-owned business, and expansion plans. 4. Seasonal & Viral PR Hooks Use holidays, limited-time desserts, menu launches, college/student traffic, Disney/Orlando tourism, and community events to create ongoing press opportunities. 5. Targeted Outreach Build focused media lists, send pitches, follow up, and track responses/results. Budget: We are starting with a lean budget of approximately $400–$500/month max. We are open to increasing the budget if we see real traction, strong communication, and measurable results. Ideal candidate: * Has secured real PR placements before * Has experience with restaurants, food brands, hospitality, lifestyle brands, consumer brands, or founder-led businesses * Understands local/regional media outreach * Can write strong pitches and PR angles * Can work efficiently within a smaller monthly budget * Provides clear updates and monthly reporting * Focuses on actual results, not just “strategy” Please answer the screening questions with short, specific responses. We are especially interested in seeing real examples of placements, your experience with food/hospitality/local brands, and what you would realistically deliver within a $400–$500/month budget. We are looking for someone who can be direct, strategic, cost-effective, and focused on getting White Rabbit meaningful visibility.