Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Odell.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a food-obsessed household and first learned to cook at a young age from my Czech grandmother. After college, I moved to Los Angeles to work for Bon Appetit and from there, I went on to run Eater LA for five years. I moved back to Manhattan from LA and launched Eater Drinks in 2015. My first book, Day Drinking, was published last May and my second book, Unicorn Food, a cookbook dedicated to plant-based cuisine devoid or gluten and refined sugar is coming out in August. I currently freelance for a myriad of publications including Eater, Vogue, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and many more.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have a strange career trajectory. Everything just sorts of fell in place. For any aspiring food writers out there, it’s important to get your foot in the door at a big magazine at a young age so you can get a byline. Bylines are crucial.
What should we know about self // Unicorn Food? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
In the last two years, I’ve begun to write about food around the world and for that reason, I’ve taken on a pretty crazy travel schedule, in a hotel more frequently than I am at home. Which can be exhausting! I travel the world to find the best food, from World’s 50 Best posts to hole-in-the-wall dumpling dives. End of the day, it’s about amazing cuisine. I love to learn about the world and other cultures through their food.
Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
Stalk major food publications until they hire you — that’s what I did to start working at Bon Appetit!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @kat_odell
- Twitter: @kat_odell
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