I’m a food writer, culinary researcher, business development specialist, events and education strategist, project manager, multiple bestselling book author, and consultant.
I create content, plan and manage events, and teach anthropology and history through the lens of food.
I help businesses build, grow, and manage day-to-day operations or once-off projects.
WORK EXPERIENCE
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, Portland State University, USA, 2023 – Present.
Developed and currently instructing “The Anthropology of Coffee,” a course blending history and anthropology to explore coffee’s global cultural impact from the 6th century onwards.
EDUCATION AND CONFERENCE MANAGER, Coffee Fest, USA, 2022 – present.
Transformed and enhanced education, workshops, and conferences for the leading US specialty coffee industry tradeshow. Achieved a 72% increase in educational program revenue and a 70% growth in workshop and barista training sales. Currently, overseeing all education and conferences for four annual US trade shows and contributing to overall show strategy.
FOUNDER, Four Seasons of Food F&B Support Agency, WORLDWIDE, 2019 – present.
With diverse expertise in the food industry, I offer comprehensive guidance to SMEs in areas like brand identity, business development, product development, operations, marketing, and more. I’ve managed global projects, created content for renowned brands, and executed various on-site initiatives.
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, Group MMM, SINGAPORE, 2018 – 2019.
Group MMM focuses on F&B brand development and investment, including both local favorites like Violet Oon Restaurants and Janice Wong, as well as global brands like TWG Tea and BELLOCQ Tea.
Collaborated with CEO on product and brand development, managed craft food partner relationships, and oversaw concept development, including coffee program for Raffles Hotel and new retail brand and cafe, Singapore Coffee.
GUEST RELATIONS MANAGER, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, NEW YORK, 2017 – 2018.
Managed guest experiences at a renowned farm-to-table restaurant, ranked 11th in the World’s 50 Best, located on an 80-acre organic farm in upstate New York.
GREAT TASTE AWARDS JUDGE, Guild of Fine Food, LONDON, 2017.
I served as a Great Taste Awards judge, appointed by the Guild of Fine Food in London. These awards are considered the top honor in the fine food and drink industry and are often likened to the ‘Oscars’ or ‘Booker prize’ of food. I was also one of the 12 specialist judges for the coffee awards.
GENERAL MANAGER UK, MAST Chocolate, LONDON, 2014 – 2017.
I helped establish and managed MAST Chocolate, an internationally renowned bean-to-bar chocolate company, in the UK and EU. I oversaw all aspects of the business, including hiring, training, sales, operations, production, product development, design, marketing, e-commerce, fulfillment, events, pop-ups, collaborations, and partnerships. I also created a respected on-site education facility and launched pioneering professional-level programs that attracted students from around the world, making us one of the first to offer comprehensive bean-to-bar chocolate training to the public, drawing students globally.
CONTRIBUTOR, Blue Hill – wastED, LONDON, 2017.
wastED is a pop-up restaurant concept conceived by acclaimed Chef Dan Barber and the Blue Hill team. It has appeared in New York and London. I co-developed and produced a dessert dish for the London pop-up in Spring 2017. wastED is a community of chefs, farmers, fishermen, distributors, processors, designers, and retailers, working together to reconceive “waste” that occurs at every link in the food chain. The goal was to celebrate what chefs do every day on their menus (and peasant cooking has done for thousands of years): creating something delicious out of the ignored or un-coveted and inspiring new applications in our food system.
PASTRY CHEF, The Deli Downstairs, LONDON, 2014 – 2015.
Worked in a much-loved, award-winning British Deli as a pastry chef, focusing on local, seasonal, and organic ingredients.
FOOD EDUCATION PROJECT MANAGER, Australian Government, MELBOURNE, 2011 – 2013.
Ran a small cooking school funded by the Australian local Government, using rescued food ‘recycled’ by Australian food waste company Second Bite. I set up, planned, budgeted, ran, and taught all food education courses, and developed all recipes for use in the program.
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, Chocolate Liberation Front, MELBOURNE, 2010 – 2011.
As Production Coordinator at Chocolate Liberation Front, a multimedia entertainment company based out of Canada and Australia, I worked as a writer and key researcher on award-winning documentaries. I worked in the small social media team to utilize Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to deliver a 7-day-a-week/24-hour-a-day online media experience for clients. One Facebook page was the largest fansite for any Australian TV channel program at the time, as well as receiving over 1 million visits to the social network extensions in 2010.
EDUCATION
Masters of Food Studies, University of Adelaide, Australia, 2015. Majoring in Sustainability, Food Ethics, Culinary Anthropology, and Food Writing.
Masters of Teaching, Deakin University, Australia, 2015.
Graduate Certificate of Food Writing, University of Adelaide, Australia, 2013.
Certificate III in Patisserie, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, 2013. Australian qualification, official government-recognized course equivalent to Le Cordon Bleu’s Diplôme de Pâtisserie.
Bachelor of Film and Television, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, 2009.
TRAINING
SCAE Introduction to Coffee, Prufrock Coffee, London, 2017.
Barista Training, Climpson & Sons Coffee Roasters, London, 2014.