Why We Started the Food Media Lab


“Many people want to impact the food media landscape, yet the paths to do so aren't evident. The Food Media Lab brings those people together with seasoned professionals whom we've identified as thoughtful leaders and generous teachers.”

— Andrea Nguyen, Co-Founder, FM Lab


Once an industry ruled by legacy magazines and East Coast editors, food media has exploded nationally in recent years. With its new emphasis on diversity, personal narratives, politics, and progressive social movements, food media has never been more dynamic.

Helmed by award winning journalists and authors John Birdsall and Andrea Nguyen, and concepted with San Francisco Cooking School (SFCS), the Food Media Lab gathers top talent to help educate and inspire those looking to develop their own crafts and careers. This year’s theme, “The Stories You Tell”, will be the thread that ties together all of our workshops.

This intimate event included three days of storytelling and workshops hosted at SFCS, a school known for its innovative approach to education. Each day was packed full of content, connections, and hands-on activity, focusing on a different aspects of food media and how to bring your stories to life.

These three days will left Lab attendees with a vast new level of knowledge, contacts to last a lifetime, and the seeds for future success in the world of food media.