Atlantic County
Michele Errichetti is from South Jersey born and fed. She comes from an Italian family where they eat, live, and breathe FOOD. Michele was cooking and eating under her grandmom’s feet every Sunday for “gravy” and at home with her mother ( a Medigan’ or American) during the week. Nowadays, she cooks for her two sons, husband, and father most days of the week. She takes “Girl Road Trips” with her friends at least once a month that always culminate with you guessed it, FOOD. She hopes fresh, local, organic, and free range will become the norm. Michele is searching Atlantic County for everything that has anything to do with good food and she’s taking you along for the ride.
Heidi Raker Goldstein is our Bergen county regional editor. A locavore, cooking enthusiast, publicist and mother of three junior gourmands, Heidi is equally comfy in greasy spoons and high-end restaurants. When not visiting local farmers markets and farm stands in Bergen and Rockland counties, this New England native, former Manhattanite and Bergen county resident is busy running her PR and green marketing agency, Raker Goldstein & Co., buying food, planning menus, cooking food, writing about food or simply eating. To reach Heidi, email her at heidi@rakergoldstein.com.
LauriLee has been passionate about food her whole life. She spent many years in the travel business and always enjoyed dining out at many ethnic restaurants here and abroad. She is a self motivated foodie who has been cooking for over 30 years. Her recipes are based on fruits, vegetables, herbs, vinegars, various healthy oils, citrus , seafood and organic chicken and turkey. LauriLee also cooks for her daughter who is a Vegan, so we can look forward to some healthy vegan/vegetarian dishes from her kitchen. To learn more about LauriLee’s cooking classes and personal chef service, visit her website at LauriLeesHealthyCooking.net and Like her page on Facebook for great recipes and cooking tips.
Kate Morgan Jackson is an editor, photographer, and writer. Her cooking and photography blog, Framed Cooks, is a collection of recipes and pictures designed for the busy cook, and her posts have been featured on a variety of sites including Glamour, Saveur, The Pioneer Woman, Steamy Kitchen, The Kitchn and Design Crush. She is a natural light photographer who specializes in portraits of children, animals and of course food of all kinds. Kate is a long-time resident of New Jersey, currently residing with her husband, daughter and rescued redbone coonhound in Upper Saddle River.
Beth Christian subsisted primarily on cheeseburgers and liverwurst sandwiches during childhood and refused to try most new foods. Her culinary horizons were expanded during her college days in Schenectady, New York, where she learned the joys of trying slow-simmered Italian dishes, Szechuan cuisine, and everything in between. When not engaged in the practice of law in Monmouth County, Beth is busy scouting out interesting restaurants, farmer’s markets and food purveyors near her home in Burlington County. Beth’s primary dining sidekick is her husband John, but she also enjoys having her daughter Meghan, son Michael and her wonderful friends come along for the ride. Email Beth at BChristian@JerseyBites.com
Kerry Brown loves casual meals from the grill and cocktails featuring fresh ingredients, especially when shared with family and friends in the backyard of her Medford, NJ home where she lives with her husband, two children, and a little gray cat named Tiki.
Colleen Wood, regional editor for Camden County, maintains her blog jerzEATS.com by making food discoveries and retrying old haunts in and around New Jersey. She loves a good deal and learning how to make restaurant dishes at home. After spending her college years up at Boston University earning her journalism degree, Colleen returned to our great state as a marketing assistant by day and dance teacher and restaurant enthusiast by night! A foodie by birth, Colleen credits her mother for her love of good food and talent in the kitchen, and hopes they’ll one day get to open a bake shop!
Alison Heller is the Jersey Bites Cape May County Regional Editor. She also writes for Examiner.com and TrendHunter.com. She grew up on the beach in Wildwood Crest and currently works in advertising. After earning her Master of Fine Arts in English and Creative Writing in New York City (a place that was essentially Food Rehab), she stopped putting ketchup on everything and started experimenting with flavors. She loves sushi and cupcakes, sushi that looks like cupcakes, but never cupcakes that look like sushi. www.superalzy.com
Cumberland County
Jennifer Malme is a full-time mother, sometime substitute teacher, avid locavore, and enthusiastic supporter of New Jersey wines. Her lifestyle blog, Down-Home South Jersey, explores ways to live simply and eat well in and around Cumberland County. When she is not blogging, she enjoys cooking, touring local wineries, and reading. She has never met a cheese that she doesn’t like, and she especially enjoys finding new, authentic ethnic restaurants in her area. Jennifer lives in Vineland with her husband, teenage son, and very smart Siamese cat.
Rachel Bozek is a freelance writer and editor based in suburban Essex County. She grew up in Bergen County, and has lost track of how much time she’s spent on LBI and in the Wildwoods. Her search for the perfect pancake continues. www.rachelbozek.com
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Tracy Goldenberg began her career in writing/marketing in the financial services industry. She has since explored different alternatives for her many talents, and is currently latching on to the green-living machine. Undergoing an extreme mid-life career crisis, she figures food and wine (and of course exercise) will carry her through. She has always lived by the motto “work hard play hard”.
Melody Kettle, owner and executive editor of Hot From The Kettle LLC, currently resides in Montclair with her husband and two children. She grew up in Bergen county, and spent most of her time beside her grandmother in the kitchen, where she developed a love for cooking, food, and entertaining. After receiving a B.A. in English from Rutgers University, Melody attended Rutgers Law School where she earned a Juris Doctorate. In 2010 Melody began blogging and “vlogging” (video blogging), and in March of 2011she launched Hot From The Kettle®, One Steamy Wine & Food Destination. Hot From The Kettle has established itself as the definitive on-line source for restaurant news and reviews in Montclair and surrounding areas. Hot From The Kettle also publishes content such as culinary demonstrations, recipes, and methods that have attracted national and international interest.
Vicki Lindgren Rimasse a/k/a “Divamom” is an amateur chef and congenial foodie who has strong opinions about restaurants and has been a fan of Newark New Jersey and its restaurant scene since she moved to the Garden State from Long Island nearly 20 years ago. In “real life” she is Senior Communications Specialist for ERE Accountants and Consultants in New York (www.ere-cpa.com), a blogger ( http://profile.typepad.com/vlrimasse) and most importantly the mother of a hungry sixteen year old boy. Since her heritage is both Italian (on her mother’s side) and Swedish (on her dad’s), she considers herself to be an expert on meatballs of all kinds, and has hosted a Sausage Fest at her home several times. Wherever she eats dinner, she drives the wait staff and her friends crazy by requesting hot sauce and extra napkins. Email her at vlrwriter2255@aol.com, follow her on Twitter at VLRWriter2255.
Allie Coremin, regional editor for Gloucester County, is a fashionable food enthusiast trying her best to eat healthy while enjoying all that there is to taste. On most days you will find her cooking something delicious in the kitchen, wearing a fashion savy apron of course. Join Allie as she cooks, dines and experiences all things food related Gloucester County has to offer – and shares it with you. Feel free to check out Allie’s personal blog and follow her on Twitter: @allieat.
Melissa Yurasits is the Jersey Bites Regional Editor for Jersey City. Melissa grew up on the Jersey Shore and returned to the Garden State after four years of living in Boston for college. Works in publicity/promotions by day but at night loves checking out new restaurants or cooking up new recipes with her boyfriend in their Jersey City apartment. Can’t name a favorite food, except for anything and everything cooked by her Dad, who doesn’t believe in recipes (but it turns out amazing everytime!).
Ana Montoya is a magazine editor by day and freelance writer by night. During the past six years she’s become quite the sunglass expert at her current post at Sunglasses Magazine, a retail trade publication that covers the sunwear industry. When she’s not writing or editing, Ana is usually plotting where to go next since she’s an avid traveler with infinite wanderlust. And of course, one of her favorite parts of traveling is finding new places to eat! Though she’ll be the first to admit her lack of skills in the kitchen, Ana loves food, especially when one of the main ingredients is either garlic or bacon. And while many might describe her as a meat and potatoes kind of girl, she’s currently gradually expanding her taste buds to change that. @missanamon http://www.missanamon.wordpress.com
Robin Damstra is the Regional Editor for Hunterdon and Mercer Counties. She also writes for her food blog, Caviar and Codfish, where she shares her culinary discoveries and gorgeous food photography. She currently lives in Stockton, New Jersey and runs The Half Pint Kitchen, a small-batch ice cream, gelato, and sorbet shop inside the Stockton Indoor Farmers Market, open Fridays-Sundays during market hours.
Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Regional Editor Ocean County, is a true Jersey girl. Raised in Marlboro, Vikki has lived in the area her whole life. She loves to experiment in the kitchen and is happiest when feeding a houseful of friends and family. A journalist for 10 years, she now serves on the staff of the Princeton Packet. Vikki is happiest on the road, so it should be no Surprise she is a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations. Follow her on Twitter @vikkihs.
Wayne Galya learned how exciting food could be back in Junior High, when the Wood Shop class elective was completely filled and his guidance counselor encouraged the guys who didn’t make the cut to take Cooking, instead. “Why would I want take a cooking class? Wait a minute…cooking = girls! Heck yeah, sign me up!” And there began his love affair with all things relating to food, making it, serving it, eating it…. Back in those days (the 70s) Culinary Art Careers had not yet become the rage, so I didn’t consider it an option and when I graduated from high school, I began a 39 year career as an Industrial Electrician. But, I never lost my passion for the Art, and even produced my own CIA chef, my son Wayne! One of the greatest joys I have is seeing what other chefs are doing, as it challenges me in my own kitchen. Many friends and family have enjoyed the re-creation of dishes that I have savored in France Italy and the Caribbean, as well as regional dishes from across the US.
Kathryn Blaze enjoys few things more than eating. 90% of her time is spent thinking about food: what she is craving, how to procure it, and when she will obtain it. Born and bred in the Garden State, Kathryn spends a good amount of time (and quite a lot of her income) hunting for the best eats. She has been hunting for The Ultimate Almond Danish ever since Whitehouse Station’s The Cake Box bakery closed almost a decade ago. She also has an unnatural appetite for ice cream, and has been known to seek out milkshakes in the midst of snow storms. Kathryn blogs about her culinary adventures at jerseypiglet.blogspot.com and the rest of life over at her personal blog.
Gina Glazier is a born and raised Jersey Girl. She recently earned her Master’s degree in Reading & Literacy and currently teaches 5th grade. Gina lives with her husband Matt who is her number one fan and shares in her passion for the culinary arts, minus the cooking part! Her “culinary life” became a reality a few years back when she was chosen to be a guest of The Star Ledger’s Munchmobile. This ignited Gina’s desire to be around food and all its counterparts all the time, meaning restaurants, cookbooks, TV shows, cooking, etc. Gina says her “biggest and most monumental experience” was being a part of The Star Ledger’s Pizza Patrol two years ago where she traveled the entire state, eating at 3, 4, sometimes 5 pizzerias a night for just about 6 months! You can check out her Hungry Teacher adventures, on her blog www.ahungryteacher.blogspot.com.
Sheila Hill was born and raised outside Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her love for all things chocolate began at an early age and continues to this day. While Sheila eventually left central Pennsylvania to attend college in suburban Philadelphia, her roots to PA Dutch food and chocolate run deep. After college, Sheila traveled extensively throughout Europe and the US as a software consultant. Her many travels afforded her opportunities to indulge in local cuisines and cultures. Eventually settling in the Garden State, Sheila took one bite of a Jersey tomato, and she was hooked. Now as the mother of two, Sheila enjoys sampling all of the Garden State’s delectable delights including everything from restaurants to locally grown fruits and veggies to locally produced wines. On rare occasion (after jumping through hoops of fire and bending over backwards), Sheila and her husband hit a favorite, romantic restaurant for a quiet dinner or a local hot-spot for a much-needed night out. Follow Sheila’s adventures in motherhood at her personal blog www.piecesofamom.com and on Twitter @PiecesofaMom.
Jack Harris lives in coastal Monmouth County and is passionate about local farm-grown fruits and vegetables, home-grown businesses, seafood and cooking with whatever happens to be in the house at the time. He spent the last year as an Eagleton Fellow at Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics and spent his spring placement in the Office of the Secretary at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. Jack publishes the blog Pocket Farms— Keeping Jersey Fresh! which focuses on small-scale agriculture and local markets in the Garden State. A native of New Jersey, Jack spent a decade in Minneapolis working in strategic marketing , served on the board of a $7 million consumer grocery cooperative and became acquainted with some of the leaders of the sustainable agriculture and fair trade movements. He is currently studying the ways organizations work (or don’t work) and how people try to solve wicked problems together at Rutgers School of Communication and Information. Jack writes for Red Bank-Shrewsbury Patch and has been a contributor to the triCity News. You can follow him on Twitter @JackHfromNJ.
Deanna Quinones is the Jersey Bites Regional Editor for Morris County. A freelance writer, blogger, and unrepentant chocolate addict, Deanna spent 20 years in the San Francisco Bay Area where life was good and the burritos even better. She recently returned to the Garden State and now resides in Morristown, where she and her Texas-born/Jersey-raised/California-found husband are raising two wild and wonderful kids. An experienced book marketer, award-winning greeting card writer, and entertainment writing dabbler, Deanna can be reached at deannaq@optimum.net. (photo credit Pete Genovese/The Star-Ledger)
Cynthia Lynch can’t remember where her love of food began, but she does recall when it turned into a career. After several years of writing about food, wine and travel for a local publisher, she got bitten by the bug, went to culinary school in New York and started cooking in New Jersey restaurants. Eventually she was able to bring her food and writing experience together as the executive editor of Art Culinaire Magazine. A Passaic County native, today she spends most of her time with her four-year-old son looking for the best food the state has to offer—and the closer to home, the better.
John and Lisa Howard-Fusco Regional Editors, Ocean County. Although they and their two kids call Ocean County home, their John and Lisa Are Eating in South Jersey food blog has them traveling all over the southern region of New Jersey. They and their blog have been mentioned in articles by the New York Times, Courier-Post, nj.com and njmonthly.com. Lisa has written articles and reviews for South Jersey magazine as well as for Ed Hitzel’s Restaurant Newsletter and Hitzel’s Restaurant Magazine. And John could use a Gaetano’s cheesesteak right about now.
Terry Krongold is a life-long passionate baker. In addition to a full-time job in the pharmaceutical industry, Terry has been involved with food for many years, including co-ownership of a dessert catering company in the late eighties called I Love Cheesecake, specializing in fine cheesecake and unique desserts. Terry is the author of The Cook’s Tour, a blog focused on food, baking, and travel. When not working, writing, or baking, she spends time planning vacations around restaurants to visit. She can be reached at terry@cookstour.net.
Danielle Kohler, who grew up in Cedar Grove, is thrilled to be the first Sussex County regional editor for Jersey Bites. She moved to picturesque Highland Lakes a few years ago and has been enjoying all the area has to offer, which of course includes indulging in the local fare. In her free time, she and her husband love to soak up the scenery with walks and outdoor activities, as well as, visiting nearby wineries. Her foodie passion was fueled at an early age by her grandmother’s love for cooking. Later in life she expanded her palate and culinary inspirations with international travel to Italy, China, England, Mexico and more. When not spending time with family and friends, Danielle works in marketing for an appliance company in Bergen County.
Amanda Waters is thrilled to be working with Jersey Bites for Sussex county, with occasional stops in other counties along the way. Her passion for “all things food” stemed from growing up in an Italian-American kitchen. A lifelong Jersey girl, she only left for college and then returned to Sussex County. She is newly married to her husband, who is the ultimate food taster, traveler, and photographing companion. She also writes her food blog, Our Italian Kitchen, where she shares family recipes and fun cooking adventures. She enjoys utilizing yummy produce and food grown locally in her cooking.
Union County
Michelle Stavrou, the Union County regional editor, has hop-scotched across the Garden State, growing up in Bergen County, then moving to Hoboken (after a stop over in Queens) before finally settling in Cranford. After too many years stuck in tiny kitchens Michelle finally has a kitchen that can accommodate multiple batches of cookies. Her husband and her co-workers are probably even more thankful than she is. Michelle’s baking adventures are documented here: jerseygirleats.blogspot.com.
Lauren Weiss is a freelance food writer who loves everything culinary. Weiss created her blog Westfield Foodie in 2009, chronicling her experiences cooking, dining and shopping for food while a stay home mom of 2. She also writes about foodie interests in & around Union County for JerseyBites and pens The Foodie State for The Alternative Press. Prior to her change of career as a food writer, Lauren previously served as Director of PR at the JCC of Central NJ, VP of Business Development at Impact Productions and for 8 years as VP of Conferences & Special Events at Bear Stearns. She graduated with a Masters from Rutgers University in 1992 and a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1990. Lauren lives in Westfield, NJ with her husband, 2 girls and a floppy Cavechon. In addition to food & family, she loves running, hiking, tennis, golf, skiing, photography, music and travel.
Jersey-wide
Melissa Beveridge was raised in Monmouth County, and has been hunting, gathering, and tasting different shore foods for as long as she could eat, while creating unique dishes in her home. She earned her Bachelors in Political Science and Masters in Public Policy at Monmouth University where she wrote her thesis on childhood obesity. She is an ESL professor, designer, cook, and editorial writer for the Greenwich Village Gazette (nycny.com). Traveling to various locales, Melissa has a taste for spicy foods and a flare for finding those hidden gems.
Amy Casey has had a lifelong love of food. It began at an early age with many hours watching Julia Child on The French Chef and learning to cook from the many fabulous cooks in her family. Her love of food lead her to become a personal chef, and she is the chef/owner of EAT! A Personal Chef Service in northern New Jersey, and also a member of the United States Personal Chef Association. Always wanting to share her love of food, she chronicles her collection of recipes in the blog Dinners for a Year and Beyond.
New Jersey Nick – If the Jersey Devil was 6’1″, overweight and bearded, his name would be Nick. New Jersey Nick can not cook without the aid of a microwave, but, thanks to an iron stomach, he has learned about food by being a fearless and adventurous eater. A self-proclaimed Burger Expert, Nick forgoes fancy restaurants to get a taste of all the ‘good food that’s bad for you’ from New Jersey’s Diners and Burger Joints. When he’s not writing about food, Nick spends time on his other hobbies as an Xbox enthusiast, a Horror Movie Savant, a Nascar follower, a Comic Book Reader and a Pro-wrestling fan. Just like Batman, Nick has a day job in the real world that isn’t as interesting as his alter ego. You can read more about Nick’s adventures on his site at www.newjerseynick.com, follow @newjerseynick on Twitter or ‘like’ him on Facebook.
Peter Culos is the editor of “Beer Bites,” a new monthly feature about breweries, bars and good beer in the garden state. A graphic designer by day, and a life long New Jersey resident, Peter was first introduced to the novel idea that beer could actually have flavor during several visits to the UK. He’s been riding the craft beer bus ever since. It has been called the ultimate social lubricant and Peter’s philosophy on beer is, “I’d rather split my last good beer with a friend than drink the whole thing by myself.” Besides beer he also likes history, dogs, Jeeps and painting. In the past, he has written a History and Art blog for the Weider History Group and occasionally contributes to his own blog, history-geek.com. Life is short. Drink good beer.
Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County, NJ. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.
Dawn Sandomeno and E
lizabeth Mascali are party and lifestyle bloggers, authors and social media hostesses. Dawn and Elizabeth are partners in Party Bluprints Inc. and co-founders of Partybluprints.com a registered trademark of Party Bluprints Inc. They have provided party related content for Fortune 100 companies like Microsoft and Kroger, as well as a host of national and regional magazines, newspapers, and television. Dawn and Elizabeth’s first book, PLAN TO PARTY , was released October 1st, 2010 and is available in book stores everywhere and on amazon.com.
Tom Kovacevich is in the wholesale fruit and vegetable business in Philadelphia. His company, TMK Produce, distributes top quality produce to retailers and food service companies up and down the east coast. In 2008, Tom started a blog at BestFruitNow.com as a way to share his thoughts on what fruits are best each month. Geared for consumers, BestFruitNow.com also offers tips on how to select and prepare the fruits being recommended. An avid cook, gardener and all around foodie, Tom regularly travels the world meeting with growers ever learning more about his passion for fresh produce.
Deborah Smith , Founder and Executive Editor of JerseyBites.com. Launched in 2007 as a home for her growing collection of recipes, Jersey Bites soon grew into a hub for all things edible in the Garden State. Deborah is also the owner of 3SquareDeals.com a Deals program that benefits Hunger Relief organizations in New Jersey. In her spare time, (Ha) she works as a Social Media consultant and speaker. You can learn more about her services and marketing through social media on her blog www.DeborahLSmith.com
Candida Sadigh, Assistant Editor. Born in Montreal, Canada to an Italian mother and a Persian father, Candida comes from an obscenely large family. Needless to say she grew up surrounded by lots of great food. While she has always been passionate about trying new foods and enjoying favorites, she only began to try her hand at cooking a few short years ago. Her adventures in the culinary arts have drastically enhanced her appreciation for a good meal and, especially, for a creative menu.
I discovered how exciting food could be back in Junior High, when the Wood Shop class elective was completely filled and the guidance counselor encouraged the guys who didn’t make the cut to take Cooking, instead.
Why would I want take a cooking class? Wait a minute…cooking=girls! Heck yeah, sign me up!
And there began my love affair with all things relating to food, making it, serving it, eating it….
Back in those days (the 70s) Culinary Art Careers had not yet become the rage, so I didn’t consider it an option and when I graduated from high school, I began a 39 year career as an Industrial Electrician.
But, I never lost my passion for the Art, and even produced my own CIA chef, my son Wayne!
One of the greatest joys I have is seeing what other chefs are doing, as it challenges me in my own kitchen. Many friends and family have enjoyed the re-creation of dishes that I have savored in France Italy and the Caribbean, as well as regional dishes from across the US.
Exploring off beat neighborhoods and local digs, my wife and fellow adventurer, Anne, and I enjoy this hobby together. Born and raised in New Jersey, now in retirement, I am even more excited about communicating what it is we taste and experience, here in the Garden State!
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010,
by Deborah Smith, Executive Editor,
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