Biography:
I am a writer and chef based in Oakland, CA. My cookbook about heirloom beans, co-authored with Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo, will be published in Fall 2008 by Chronicle Books. I’ve written about food, culture, and travel for various publications including Curve Magazine, The Oakland Tribune, and The Contra Costa Times. In 2006, I served as the San Francisco Bay Area Food Editor for apartmenttherapy.com the kitchen. I specialize in writing about food justice, urban agriculture, and sustainability.

I’m a regular contributing writer to EcoSalon, a green lifestyle blog. I am a self-taught chef with a passion for the foods of all cultures and a keen interest in the cultural roots of food traditions. I have enjoyed traveling and eating my way through the Spanish Basque country, Catalonia, Vietnam, and Mexico. I particularly enjoy visiting open-air markets and cooking in foreign countries.

While chef at The Jimtown Store in Healdsburg California, I collaborated on The Jimtown Store Cookbook (Harper Collins, 2002). I consulted on and tested recipes for Fish Forever: The Definitive Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Preparing Healthy, Delicious, and Environmentally Sustainable Seafood (Wiley 2007). by Paul Johnson. I teach cooking classes, lead food tours, and run cooking team builds.

I worked for five years as an integral part of the marketing team for Whole Foods Market Northern California and Pacific Northwest. I collaborated with the team to build, launch, and sustain creative marketing campaigns, from the ground up, while serving as Senior Copywriter. My current marketing clients are small food businesses with high quality products and include d’italia.com, Peerless Coffee Company, and Joyce Mallonée and Associates.

I’m committed to food justice and community based food systems. I volunteer for Food First and City Slicker Farm, both based in Oakland, CA. Check my blog to find out what I’m up to day to day.