Hey there! I’m Stephanie Gravalese. I write about food and drink culture, and I’m the one behind the mic at the Food Stories Told podcast. I live between western Massachusetts and upstate New York, where I get a lot of my inspiration from. My big belief? If we spend more time cooking, gardening, and being out in nature, we’ll be better off for it.

Whether you know me from my writings, my content on Instagram, the Food Stories Told podcast, or my site Slow Living Kitchen, my life revolves around sharing the magic of food.

What I Do

I wear many hats—all of them rooted in food:

  • Journalist: I pen articles for major outlets like Forbes, Food & Wine, and The Guardian. My writing digs deep into the future of dining, sustainable sourcing, and the decentralized narratives of food culture.
  • Food Photographer: With each photo, I aim to capture the essence of ingredients and dishes in their most authentic forms. My photography is not just about what food looks like, but what it represents in the moment it is enjoyed.
  • Storyteller: Through my podcast, Food Stories Told, and other platforms, I share the stories behind the food. This involves engaging conversations with the diverse hands that feed us, exploring the cultural, economic, and environmental footprints of culinary practices.
  • Content Creator: On Slow Living Kitchen and social media, I create content that encourages others to connect with their food. From practical gardening tips to deep dives into foraging and cooking, I create multimedia content that educates and inspires.
  • Advocate for Food Equity: I strive to highlight issues of worker equity in the food industry. I believe that understanding where our food comes from involves recognizing and advocating for those who produce and prepare our meals.

Not Just Food, But Life

For me, food isn’t just about staying alive. It’s about the rich cultures and traditions that come with every bite. I spend a lot of my time diving into different restaurant scenes, foraging wild foods, and getting my hands dirty in the garden. I’m all about sustainability, seeing what drives dining trends, and learning from the folks who work behind the scenes.

It’s not just about the end product on our plates. I care a lot about access and equity in the food industry and aim to get readers thinking about the bigger picture—how our food choices impact the world around us.

My Writing

Curious where you can find my writing? Here are a few spots:

Check out my full portfolio on Muck Rack to see more.