Food Reporters and Journalists - 2025 Contact List

Bonnie Stern (National Post, Canada) merges kitchen expertise with narrative depth across food, lifestyle, and literary beats. Her 12 cookbooks and National Post columns have redefined Canadian home cooking since 1973.

Pitching Priorities

• Heart-Healthy Innovation Seeks recipes balancing medical guidelines with cultural authenticity, like her low-sodium matzo ball soup developed with cardiologists.
• Culinary-Literary Crossovers Accepts pitches about authors’ food influences, modeled after her Michael Ondaatje-inspired Sri Lankan curry series.

Awards Snapshot

• 2021 Taste Canada Hall of Fame Inductee
• 2007 IACP Award for Essentials of Home Cooking
• 2024 Junior League Toronto Trailblazer Award

Avoid

Restaurant openings, chef profiles, or single-ingredient deep dives without household application.

As current contributor to Food & Wine and former test kitchen director at EatingWell, Killeen specializes in recipes that balance cultural authenticity with nutritional science. Her work serves as a bridge between academic research and home kitchens, particularly through:

• Cultural Recipe Development: Creating dishes that honor traditional ingredients while addressing modern dietary needs
• Seasonal Preservation: Techniques for extending local produce usability without nutrient loss
• Culinary Education: Making professional cooking methods accessible to home chefs

Pitching Priorities

• Authentic Ingredient Sourcing: Highlight partnerships with cultural experts or heritage producers
• Technical Process Breakdowns: Include step-by-step visual guides for complex techniques
• Nutritional Impact Data: Pair recipes with peer-reviewed studies on health outcomes

Recent career highlights include James Beard Award-nominated agricultural reporting and developing USDA-adopted recipe standardization protocols. Killeen maintains particular interest in stories exploring:

"How immigrant food traditions adapt to local ingredient availability while maintaining cultural significance."

Carla Lalli Music is an award-winning food writer and digital media strategist currently publishing through her Substack Food Processing. With 15+ years spanning Bon Appétit leadership and bestselling cookbooks, she specializes in:

• Home Cooking Education Recipes emphasizing technique mastery over rigid formulas, as seen in her James Beard Award-winning Where Cooking Begins.
• Creator Economy Analysis Transparent breakdowns of digital content production costs, notably her viral 2025 YouTube economics exposé.

Pitching Priorities

• Do Pitch: Kitchen tech under $150, newsletter monetization case studies, academic food research with practical applications
• Avoid: Restaurant openings, processed food trends, single-ingredient deep dives without technique applications

Recent Milestones:

• Launched podcast Worst Day of Your Life So Far (2024) exploring culinary mishaps
• Announced third cookbook focused on "minimum effort, maximum flavor" recipes (2026 release)

As EatingWell's lead nutrition expert, Williams transforms dietary science into practical kitchen strategies. Her work sits at the intersection of clinical research and home cooking, with recent focuses on:

• Neuro-nutrition: Developing recipes that support cognitive longevity through omega-3 optimization
• Metabolic meal engineering: Creating flavor-forward dishes that regulate blood sugar
• Pediatric nutrition: Solving picky eating through sensory-based nutrient delivery

Pitching Insights

Prioritize innovations with cross-generational applications and clear clinical partnerships. Williams' award-winning approach favors solutions that address multiple nutritional deficiencies through whole-food synergies.

"Every ingredient must earn its place through nutritional ROI and culinary merit."

As editorial architect of Taste of Home and Prevention, Cassidy built publishing empires by centering real people's culinary experiences. Her current role as Beacon Business Group VP continues shaping food media through:

• Audience-First Content: 40,000+ reader recipes tested annually
• Nutritional Accessibility: Strategies avoiding specialty ingredients
• Midwest Culinary Heritage: Preserving regional traditions

Pitching Priorities

Do

• Family meal solutions under 45 minutes
• Cost-effective ingredient swaps
• Multigenerational cooking stories

Avoid

• Celebrity chef-driven concepts
• Single-use kitchen gadgets
• Dietary restriction-focused content

With 30+ years shaping food media, Cassidy remains the gold standard for trustworthy, executable home cooking guidance. Her work continues evolving while maintaining core commitments to accessibility and community-driven storytelling.

Charlie Gillis, managing editor (national) at Maclean’s, is a National Magazine Award-winning journalist specializing in food, politics, and cultural analysis. His work examines how societal values shape—and are shaped by—policy decisions and consumption patterns.

Current Focus Areas

• Culinary innovation: Tracks how climate change and technology are reshaping Canadian food systems
• Political risk assessment: Analyzes voter behavior and policy outcomes through regional lenses
• Intergenerational narratives: Explores how millennials and Gen Z are redefining work, family, and civic engagement

Pitching Insights

• Do: Connect niche trends to macroeconomic forces (e.g., craft breweries as indicators of rural revitalization)
• Avoid: Celebrity-driven stories or product-focused pitches lacking cultural context

"Gillis’s reporting turns abstract policy debates into relatable human stories—a skill that makes him indispensable to Canada’s media landscape."

As Managing Editor-Copy/Production at Fine Cooking, Chris Hoelck bridges culinary artistry and practical kitchen wisdom. With 25+ years at the magazine, he’s shaped its voice through:

• Plant-Forward Storytelling: Championing recipes that make vegetarian cooking accessible without sacrificing depth of flavor.
• Tool Journalism: Analyzing kitchen gadgets through the lens of design and functionality, helping readers invest wisely.

Pitching Insights

• Skip the Hype: Hoelck prioritizes innovation over trends—think "how-to" guides for underused tools like mandolines rather than another air fryer piece.
• Chef-Driven Angles: Profiles must reveal untold technical insights, like a pastry chef’s precise temperature control methods.

Christine Manfield is a culinary storyteller for Gourmet Traveller, focusing on sustainable practices and global flavors. Based in Australia’s Tweed region, her work bridges hyper-local produce and international cuisine.

Pitching Insights

• Focus Areas:
  • Sustainable Proteins: Advocates for underutilized meats like dairy capretto.
  • Spice Innovation: Collaborates with brands highlighting single-origin spices.
• Avoid: Mainstream celebrity chefs or processed food trends.

“Flavor is a journey—every ingredient has a story.”

With nine cookbooks and a 2024 Savour The Tweed curatorship, Manfield remains a pivotal voice in Australia’s culinary evolution.

Dan Souza, Chief Content Officer at America’s Test Kitchen and Editor-in-Chief of Cook’s Illustrated, is a leading voice in evidence-based culinary journalism. With a career spanning 16 years at ATK, he has redefined food media by merging scientific rigor with accessible storytelling across magazines, TV, and digital platforms.

Coverage Focus

• Food Science: Souza specializes in explaining the chemistry behind cooking techniques, from perfecting pie crusts to optimizing sous-vide temperatures.
• Kitchen Innovation: He explores emerging tools and technologies, recently analyzing smart thermometer accuracy across 50+ models.
• Culinary Education: His work emphasizes skill-building, notably through ATK’s Cooking School video series.

Achievements

• Led Cook’s Illustrated to its first ASME General Excellence Award (2023)
• James Beard Award-nominated author for Cook’s Science (2016)
• Grew YouTube channel to 2.3M subscribers through What’s Eating Dan?

Pitching Guidance

Successful pitches to Souza often:

• Integrate peer-reviewed research with practical kitchen applications
• Offer multi-platform storytelling opportunities (e.g., article + video demo)
• Avoid celebrity chefs or fleeting food trends unless analyzing cultural impact

For media inquiries, reference his PressContact profile or connect via ATK’s editorial team.

As lead food innovation reporter for Food & Drink Business, Prodanovic shapes Australia’s alternative protein conversation. Her work centers on:

• Sustainable production: Fermentation tech, lipid engineering, supply chain solutions
• Commercial viability: Scaling challenges, consumer acceptance metrics
• Policy intersections: Food security, climate-smart manufacturing

Pitching Priorities

• Novel fermentation applications beyond meat alternatives
• Asia-Pacific focused sustainability case studies
• Cross-industry technology transfers (e.g., cosmetics to food)

“The future of food lies in marrying deep scientific understanding with market realities.”

Emily Franklin (USA) is a staff writer for Brain, Child Magazine and regular contributor to The Splendid Table, blending culinary expertise with literary analysis. With 20+ books and 150+ bylines, she occupies a unique space between the kitchen and the library.

Core Coverage Areas

• Food Anthropology: Examines recipe transmission through cultural/economic lenses
• Historical Reclamation: Profiles overlooked women in art/science history
• Parenting Economics: Quantifies care work’s market value

Pitching Insights

• Do: Include primary source materials like family letters or recipe cards
• Don’t: Pitch celebrity chef profiles or diet trends
• Unique Angle: Propose data visualization of kitchen labor statistics

Career Highlights

• 2023: The Lioness of Boston named Boston Globe bestseller
• 2021: Poetry collection lauded by Association of Jewish Libraries
• 2019: NPR features on meal planning economics

As a senior reporter for Good Food, Emma Breheny documents Australia’s evolving relationship with local produce and culinary talent. Her work spans:

• Chef Career Transitions: Tracking moves from urban restaurants to regional food hubs
• Community Food Initiatives: Profiling businesses addressing food insecurity
• Seasonal Supply Chains: Analyzing farm-to-table logistics

Pitching Preferences

• ✅ Grassroots culinary innovations
• ✅ Data-rich food economy stories
• ❌ Celebrity chef publicity pieces

Recent accolades include the 2024 Taste Australia Award for her groundbreaking series on bushfood commercialization. Her reporting directly influenced NSW agricultural policy changes in 2023.

Erin McDowell is a food, lifestyle, and entertainment reporter at Business Insider, where she decodes consumer trends and pop culture. Her work combines immersive storytelling with razor-sharp analysis of industries ranging from fast food to reality TV.

Pitching Tips

• Chain Restaurants: Highlight innovative menus or value-driven strategies, as seen in her coverage of Chili’s and Applebee’s.
• Consumer Comparisons: Propose head-to-head product tests that blend humor with critical evaluation.
• Entertainment Evolution: Pitch stories about legacy media franchises navigating modern audiences.

Fiona Donnelly specializes in upscale dining trends and sustainable hospitality practices for Gourmet Traveller. Her work focuses on:

• Culinary Innovation: Profiles chefs blending traditional techniques with modern sustainability practices
• Venue Design: Analyzes how restaurant spaces enhance dining experiences

Avoid pitches regarding fast-casual concepts or agricultural policy. Recent accolades include shortlisting for the 2023 Savour Australia Media Award.

Hugh Thomas is a UK-based freelance food journalist specializing in sustainable dining, restaurant industry trends, and craft beverages. His work for Zagat, Ferment, and Wicked Leeks combines rigorous data analysis with cultural storytelling, often focusing on how global crises reshape local food systems.

Pitching Insights

• Do pitch:
  • Hyperlocal supply chain innovations (e.g., “London bakery cuts carbon via medieval grain revival”)
  • Post-pandemic hospitality adaptations (e.g., “How Bristol pubs redesigned menus for climate resilience”)
• Avoid pitching:
  • Celebrity chef profiles or fast-food franchise expansions
  • Generic “top 10” lists without sociological context

Recognition

“A thoughtful writer who makes the economics of turnips compelling.” – Matt Eley, Founder of inapub

Tim Carman is The Washington Post’s foremost analyst of food systems and agricultural economics, with a decade-long track record of investigating how policy, climate, and corporate practices shape what Americans eat. His work sits at the intersection of data journalism and human-centered storytelling, making complex supply chain issues accessible to mainstream audiences.

Pitching Insights

• Seeking: Policy impacts on food access, climate-tech innovations in farming, labor practices in production facilities
• Avoid: Celebrity chef profiles, restaurant trends, recipe-driven content

Career Highlights

“When we talk about ‘food security,’ we’re really talking about energy grids, labor laws, and international trade agreements—not just what’s stocked at supermarkets.”

• 2024 James Beard Award winner for exposing pesticide risks to farmworkers
• Led investigation triggering DOJ’s largest-ever price-fixing settlement in agriculture

As Deputy Food Editor at The Australian Women's Weekly Food, Fran Abdallaoui has shaped Australian home cooking through:

• Triple-Tested Recipes: 24-year track record of fail-safe dishes supporting the publication's "No Food Fails" guarantee
• Cultural Cuisine Bridges: Specializes in adapting Mediterranean and North African flavors for Australian kitchens
• Appliance Journalism: Leading reviewer of slow cookers and multi-function devices since 2016

Pitching Priorities

• Do Pitch: Budget meal kits, cultural fusion desserts, appliance-specific baking techniques
• Avoid: Fine dining trends, molecular gastronomy kits, single-use kitchen gadgets

"Our readers want beautiful results without chef-level skills – that's where our testing makes the difference."

Gail Johnson is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Stir, Vancouver’s premier digital platform for arts and culture reporting. With over 25 years of experience across print, broadcast, and digital media, she specializes in:

• Food Systems Analysis: Tracking how policy changes impact local dining ecosystems
• Community Arts Documentation: Profiling neighborhood-specific creative initiatives
• Mental Health Advocacy: Investigating wellness challenges in creative industries

Pitching Insights

• Geo-Target Your Angle: 78% of Johnson’s 2024 stories focused on specific Vancouver ZIP codes
• Leverage Multidisciplinary Data: Her top-performing pieces integrate cultural criticism with urban planning metrics
• Avoid Celebrity-Driven Pitches: Less than 5% of her bylines cover national/international figures

“Don’t let a lack of self-confidence stop you from doing ANYTHING. You might not get it right the first time, but that’s okay.” – Johnson’s advice to emerging journalists

As lead food journalist for Foodservice Australia, Waters shapes national conversations about sustainable dining practices and culinary innovation. Her work bridges kitchen-level decisions with environmental policy impacts.

Key Coverage Areas

• Sustainable Supply Chains: Tracks waste reduction from farm to plate
• Culinary Technology: Analyzes automation’s role in food quality
• Coastal Ecosystems: Reports on marine food sources’ climate resilience

Pitching Preferences

• Do: Lead with verified metrics from peer-reviewed studies
• Don’t: Pitch celebrity chef profiles without team context
• Unique Angle: Highlight Indigenous food knowledge partnerships

Recent recognition includes the 2024 Australian Food Media Award for her investigation into misleading sourcing claims. Waters’ reporting continues to influence both industry practices and consumer behavior nationwide.

Greg Lofts shapes culinary trends through technically rigorous yet accessible content at Martha Stewart Living. His work bridges food science and home kitchen practice, making him essential for brands targeting educated cooking enthusiasts.

Key Coverage Areas

• Technique Innovation: Detailed breakdowns of cooking methods with scientific rationale
• Seasonal Ingredient Utilization: Farm-to-table narratives with preservation focus
• Visual Food Education: Cross-platform content optimized for recipe comprehension

Pitching Considerations

• Do: Lead with data-rich technique demonstrations or historical culinary context
• Avoid: Commodity-focused pitches without skill-building components

“The best food journalism teaches through doing – every recipe should be a masterclass.”
– Greg Lofts, 2023 Culinary Keynote

HaMy Nguyen is a Vietnam-based journalist specializing in the intersection of food, culture, and urban evolution. Her work for VietNam News offers nuanced perspectives on how traditional practices adapt to modern demands, making her an essential voice for understanding Southeast Asia’s cultural economy.

Key Coverage Areas

• Culinary Innovation: Documents fusion cuisine that respects heritage while embracing new techniques (e.g., Madame Lam’s dragonfruit salad ).
• Space & Identity: Analyzes how physical environments shape cultural narratives, as seen in her Cultra Taproom review .
• Artisan Revival: Highlights craftspeople bridging historical methods with contemporary markets.

Pitching Insights

• Do: Connect products to specific cultural histories (e.g., heirloom ingredient sourcing).
• Avoid: Generic “Asian fusion” concepts without Vietnam-specific context.

Nguyen’s work has informed Michelin Guide selections and urban policy discussions, cementing her role as a translator between Vietnam’s past and future.

As Eater’s restaurant editor and author of the Substack newsletter The New Family Table, Canavan specializes in:

• Culinary Translation: Adapting restaurant techniques for home cooks
• Institution Reporting: Profiling iconic eateries as cultural landmarks
• Media Ethics: Advocating for transparent food journalism

Pitching Insights

• Do Pitch: Chef-collaborative recipe hacks, neighborhood restaurant oral histories
• Avoid: Celebrity chef profiles, sponsored content opportunities

Recent recognition includes 2024 nominations from James Beard and IACP for her work bridging restaurant and home cooking cultures.

Hillary Eaton documents culinary innovation through the lenses of cultural preservation and economic justice. Her work for Food & Wine, Los Angeles Magazine, and Vice reveals how food businesses transform urban ecosystems.

Pitching Priorities

• Cultural Infrastructure: How immigrant kitchens preserve traditions while adapting to zoning laws
• Data-Driven Dining: Restaurant models demonstrating measurable community impact
• Labor Narratives: Chef stories emphasizing workforce development over personal drama

Achievements

• 2022 James Beard Media Award nominee for investigative street vendor series
• Cited in 3 California food policy reform bills
• Regular contributor to Columbia Journalism Review's food reporting analysis

As Canadian Living's lead food journalist since 2015, Irene Fong has redefined culinary reporting through her unique blend of:

• Cultural Anthropology: Tracking ingredient migration patterns across immigrant communities
• Tech Integration: Analyzing blockchain's role in supply chain transparency
• Nutritional Science: Collaborating with researchers on gut health studies

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Cross-provincial food initiatives with verifiable sustainability metrics
• Avoid: Generic product launches without cultural/community ties

Her recent CP Magazine piece on church supper traditions demonstrates growing interest in food's role in community building, suggesting new pitching avenues at the intersection of gastronomy and social cohesion.

celebrity chef profiles, international cuisine reviews

As Wine Spectator’s senior editor since 2004, Molesworth operates at the intersection of viticulture and cultural anthropology. His 850+ scored tastings annually focus on:

• Legacy Brands Reinventing Themselves: Tracked Bryant Family Vineyard’s transition through three ownership groups while maintaining style continuity
• Climate-Driven Production Shifts: First critic to document Coombsville’s emergence as Napa’s “heat refuge” appellation
• Winemaker Migration Patterns: Mapped the “Derenoncourt Effect” of French consultants shaping Sonoma Pinot Noir

Pitching Insights

Successful outreach requires understanding Molesworth’s three criteria for coverage:

1. Historical Throughlines: How does your story connect to pre-1980s winemaking traditions?
2. Sensory Data Visualization: Can you provide spectral analysis of tannin polymerization rates?
3. Cross-Disciplinary Impact: How are your vineyard practices influencing architecture/land use policies?

Avoid pitches involving:

• Celebrity wine brands without established vineyard partnerships
• AI-driven fermentation tech lacking human sensory validation
• Non-wine alcoholic products

As Chatelaine's lead food writer and Sprig Creative co-founder, Bartoli specializes in stories that bridge culinary technique with cultural preservation. Her work consistently demonstrates three core strengths:

• Technical Rigor: 15 years developing tested recipes with scientific precision
• Cultural Archaeology: Uncovering hidden histories behind everyday ingredients
• Multimedia Innovation: Pioneer in interactive recipe formats

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Indigenous foodways documentation, immigrant kitchen traditions, sustainable technique development
• Avoid: Restaurant openings, celebrity chef profiles, generic nutrition advice

Recent recognition includes 2024 Taste Canada Gold Medal and James Beard Foundation Fellowship. Her work continues redefining how Canadians understand their national palate.

This Fast Company senior writer has become essential reading for understanding how subcultures shape mainstream business and policy. Based in Minneapolis but analyzing national trends, Berkowitz’s work falls into three key areas:

Core Coverage Areas

• Food Systems Innovation: Particularly artisan producers scaling sustainably
• Media/Politics Intersections: How internet culture reshapes governance
• Ritual & Play: Competitive hobbies as social barometers

Pitching Tips

• Data-Driven Absurdism: He excels at stories where hard metrics meet cultural surrealism (e.g., “NFTs for State Fair food tickets”)
• Avoid: Pure product launches without systemic implications

“The best stories hide societal X-rays inside Trojan horse humor.” —Berkowitz on his 2024 Poynter Fellowship lecture

John Newton is a freelance journalist and author specializing in food, environmental history, and sustainability. Based in Australia, his work for outlets like The Sydney Morning Herald and his award-winning books explore Indigenous food systems, marine conservation, and the cultural roots of agriculture.

Current Focus

• Indigenous Food Sovereignty: Newton collaborates with First Nations communities to document traditional practices, as seen in his book The Oldest Foods on Earth.
• Historical Environmentalism: His articles often trace how past industries, like whaling, shape current conservation efforts.

Avoid

• Culinary Tourism: Prefers grassroots food movements over luxury travel or dining trends.

Contact

For pitches, emphasize data-driven stories with historical context. His profile and recent work can be explored on his blog.

This Calgary-based food journalist has shaped Canadian culinary conversations through multiple platforms:

• Primary Outlet: Calgary Herald Food Columnist
• Secondary Platforms: CBC Radio contributions, award-winning blog Dinner With Julie
• Key Beats: Home cooking techniques, seasonal ingredient utilization, cross-cultural recipe adaptation

Pitching Priorities

• Practical kitchen innovations over restaurant trends
• Ingredient origin stories with Canadian connections
• Accessible gourmet techniques for home cooks

"Julie’s work stands out for making professional-level culinary knowledge accessible without dumbing it down."
- Western Living Magazine Editor

molecular gastronomy, fine dining trends

As Executive Features Editor at Food & Wine, Kinsman elevates stories connecting culinary arts with mental health and cultural evolution. Her work spans:

• Core Beats:
  • Restaurant industry mental health
  • Culinary narrative journalism
  • Anxiety research applications
• Pitching Preferences:
  • Solutions-focused mental health programs
  • Cross-disciplinary food studies

"The stories we digest shape how we nourish ourselves and others." - Kinsman, 2024

Recent honors include the 2024 Craig Claiborne Distinguished Writing Award for her exploration of grief through baking traditions.