Join the National Writers Series for the second annual Traverse City Food and Wine. We are honored to host the legendary Ruth Reichl, recognized as one of the most discerning voices in the food world as a bestselling author, revered restaurant critic, and culinary industry influencer. Her icon status stems from her groundbreaking roles in food journalism as the lead restaurant critic at the New York Times and editor-in-chief at Gourmet magazine.
Reichl will be joined in conversation with returning guest host Matt Rodbard to talk about her life of food writing and most recently her first fiction work, The Paris Novel. It’s a coming-of-age story about Stella, a young book copy editor who inherits money from her estranged mother with instructions to go to Paris. Set in the 1980s, the novel follows Stella as she discovers herself through food, fashion, and art, exploring her mother’s past and finding a new passion for life, with vivid descriptions of French cuisine and culture. The book blends a personal journey of self-discovery with a historical mystery involving a Manet painting and the House of Dior.
Ruth Reichl will be joined in conversation with founding editor of Taste, Matthew Rodbard. Ruth Reichl is a six-time James Beard Award winner. Capped by her 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, her work transcends all platforms with top honors for bestselling books, magazine feature writing, restaurant critique, and multimedia food commentary.
Born and raised in New York City, she moved to Berkeley, California, in the early 1970s, launching her career as chef and co-owner of The Swallow Restaurant. She later held court as one of the top restaurant critics in America, influencing commentary during the early days of the foodie explosion.
Seating begins at 3:00 p.m. with programming starting at 4:00 p.m. at Traverse City Food & Wine’s tent at the Open Space. Seating is general admission. At the end of the conversation we’ll invite guests to participate in a Q&A with Reichl & Rodbard. This event will not be livestreamed.
Matt Rodbard is a writer, editor, and author of food and culture books with more than two decades of experience working in television, magazines, book publishing, and online media. He’s the author of several cookbooks and the Founding Editor of online food and culture magazine Taste.
