‘Food’ is my favorite four-letter word
This has been an exceptionally busy year for me writing about meaningful culinary and F&B trends.
This year started as most others: with an eager ambition to write about food to make people conscientiously think about what they consume. Thus far, it’s going all right as I’m ending the year in a position of leadership.
I want to make real change in this industry. I want to make an impact. Whether that means giving a voice to underrepresented chefs and other culinarians or writing about functional foods and beverages designed to make us healthier, I want to do it all.
Here are some highlights of my most recent work:
Resy. I had a chance to interview Christine Tully, one of the partners of beloved Berwyn, Illinois, eatery Autre Monde. During our conversation, we chatted about what’s made this establishment so special over the years, which includes their commitment to sourcing the best produce from local farms.
Chicago. The conversation I had with Mohammad Salehi really shook me to the core about how much we take for granted in the United States. The Afghan immigrant, who launched Heray Spice to sell authentic saffron and other products a few years ago, discussed with me in full detail of what farmers have to endure in his native country just to put a few dollars in their pockets each month. In Chicago magazine, my story only touched on the subject, so look for a follow-up report soon.
Simplot. I did some work last summer with the world’s third-largest potato producer, Simplot. Earlier this year, the company commissioned me to write several stories about culinary trends for spirit-free beverages, soups, fermentation and more. To give them a bit of style, I sought out some of the most creative minds in the industry. For example, chefs Jenner Tomaska of Esmé, plus media darlings Carla Hall and Adrienne Cheatham offered their top tips on soups. Newly installed James Beard Winner Erick Williams of Virtue gave catering tips. And Mike Ryan and others in the bar world gave their advice on the secrets to the best spirit-free options.
Food & Beverage Insider. Since July, I’ve been looking at the food and beverage world through a different lens. With the online publication and monthly digital magazines, we dig deeper into the ingredients and functionality of what we consume. For example, our new issue focuses on beverages and connects them to digestive health and immune support. The latest rage is clean-label transparency, and we focus on ingredients with those claims to build better beverages. Austin, Texas-based company BeatBox is also featured this month to spotlight its new zero-sugar, low-ABV boxed cocktails. And, I chat with Nature’s Fynd executive Karuna Rawal to discuss the company’s long-term goal of feeding the world’s growing population in the face of climate change.
It’s been a great adventure. That’s for sure. And I look forward to even more.
It's been a fantastic year for you! Congratulations on all of your success!