Steve Rivera | Co-Founder
Should Steve ever want to take his former career as a boxing promoter and mix it with his current role as the co-owner of one of SF’s preeminent restaurant PR groups, he’d be the food fight champion. As partner at Rivera Public Relations, Steve has helped launch campaigns for hundreds of restaurants, wineries, spirits and other lifestyle brands. Prior to this, he was Director of Operations for Sugar Ray Leonard’s boxing promotional company SRL Boxing, and then later for Mark Burnett Productions (Survivor, Apprentice) on the set of NBC’s “The Contender.” Steve enjoys spending time in the Napa Valley with his wife Ali where he’s learning the art of winemaking with grapes from family-owned Rivera Vineyards.
Favorite Dish: Gnocchi @ Frascati | San Francisco
Jared Rivera | Co-Founder
Jared is the type who hits the ground running. Which is exactly how he started Rivera PR in San Francisco at the tender age of 25, and in a matter of six years, grew it to include more of San Francisco’s hottest restaurant and beverage clients than any other public relations firm in town. He also has a knack for videography which is how he ended up filming the Chefs Feed documentary series for Virgin America. When Jared’s not hanging out with his brother Steve, he’s eating pasta with his girlfriend Jenn at his mother’s house like a good Italian-American son.
Favorite Dish: Burger @ Super Duper | San Francisco
Sara Deseran | Co-Founder
Having worked as a food writer and editor in San Francisco for the past 15 years, the thing Sara knows the most about is what’s on her plate. Sara is the author of a few cookbooks, has worked as a food editor for four magazines (including San Francisco Magazine, where she’s currently the deputy editor) and contributed to magazines such as Food & Wine, Sunset and Food Arts. Her writing has been chosen for multiple Best Food Writing anthologies. Sara is married to Joe Hargrave, the owner of Tacolicious, and loves to eat at restaurant bars with him.
Favorite Dish: Pierna enchilada torta @ La Torta Gorda | San Francisco
Arik Devens | Head of Engineering
When Arik isn’t playing his banjo or exploring SF, he’s building the coolest apps around. His passion for finding the best food and all things mobile made Chefs Feed a natural fit. He previously worked at Posterous, Palm, Netscape, and a couple of his own companies for good measure. He firmly believes people can change the world and he’s doing everything he can to make that happen.
Favorite Dish: Classic Philly cheesesteak @ Phat Philly | San Francisco
Mimi Huggins | PR & Marketing Director
Mimi’s range of experience in social media and public relations has taught her the importance of building relationships in a food-laden world. As the youngest of three in a big foodie family, Mimi’s a firm believer that dessert should always come first. But don’t let her sweet tooth (and smile) fool you—this psychology and sociology double major has a knack for breaking down the city’s best cocktails (including Tipsy Pig’s Strawberry Fields), and is coming to a bar near you.
Favorite Dish: Lasagna bolognese w/ spinach pasta @ Barbacco | San Francisco
Jennifer Olsen | Director of Chef Relations
As co-host for Virgin America’s new Chefs Feed documentary, Jennifer has personally interviewed over 150 chefs across the country and eaten at nearly 300 restaurants… in just four months (this is her before picture). When not on the road eating at the country’s best restaurants, Jennifer–also a talented graphic artist–is designing logos for them.
Favorite Dish: House noodles @ Yamo | San Francisco
Michelle Ngo | Managing Editor
Michelle’s hunger for culinary travel rivals Anthony Bourdain’s any day of the week. When she’s not cataloguing her food adventures or scrounging the city for the best chocolate around, this Bay Area native is in the kitchen whipping up something large enough for a small village, even if she has to hunt your mom down for that recipe.
Favorite Dish: Penn Cove mussels @ The Monk’s Kettle | San Francisco
Sophia Lorenzi | Managing Editor
A self-proclaimed hot chocolate aficionado, Sophia will do anything for her creamy cocoa fix. When she’s not obsessing over food textures and writing for publications like 7×7 and The Bold Italic, she enjoys dressing in cocktail attire and dancing to Soul music. And, word on the street is she ran a late-night, cookie-delivery business out of her USF college dorm.
Favorite Dish: Raviolo di Ricotta @ Cotogna | San Francisco
Amanda Kludt | New York City/Brooklyn Editor
Amanda is the editor of New York’s popular restaurant news and gossip site Eater New York. She’s also freelanced for publications including Gourmet, Time Out New York, and The Guardian. If she doesn’t order the duck rice when she’s at Aldea, she always feels deep regret.
Favorite Dish: Duck rice @ Aldea | New York City
Elina Shatkin | Los Angeles Editor
Elina Shatkin is a cineaste, donut connoisseur, and curious curator of cool stuff to do. She is a food writer and restaurant critic at LA Weekly. Prior to that, she was a staff reporter at the Los Angeles Times.
Favorite Dish: Ice cream soda @ Jerry’s Soda Shoppe | Los Angeles
Emily Fiffer | Chicago Editor
Emily is the Chicago Editor of DailyCandy and a co-founder of Dose Market. She’d a proud pescatarian and would marry the cherry scone from Hoosier Mama if she could.
Favorite Dish: Trout with dates, asparagus, and bulgur @ Ruxbin | Chicago
Julien Perry | Seattle Editor
If Julien’s resume was a menu, it would read: Appetizers: Food Editor of Seattle Business Monthly and WINO Magazine. Restaurant Reporter for KOMO Radio in Seattle. Amuse-Bouche: Chefs Feed Seattle Editor. Entrée: writer for Seattle Weekly, where she spends the meat of her time.
Favorite Dish: Bruschetta with smoked blue fish @ Tavolata | Seattle
Amanda McClements | Washington DC Editor
Amanda is creator of metrocurean.com, a popular lifestyle, food and restaurant web site covering the DC area. Raised in North Carolina, she has a deep affinity for crispy chicken skin, oyster roasts and boiled peanuts. Her work can also be found in Food & Wine, The Washington Post and Time Out, to name a few.
Favorite Dish: Chorizo with potato chips @ Estadio | Washington DC
Bridget Samburg | Boston Editor
Bridget Samburg is a ghostwriter and book collaborator who writes about food for The Boston Globe. She routinely reads cookbooks while planning imaginary and elaborate sit down, home cooked meals for 50. She’s been known to drive 45 miles for a baguette.
Favorite Dish: Arancini with truffle honey @ Dante | Cambridge
Adam Erace | Philadelphia Editor
Adam is the restaurant critic at the Philadelphia City Paper and has contributed to Food & Wine, Gilt Taste and Afar. He was born and raised in South Philly on water ice, soft pretzels and Sunday gravy.
Favorite Dish: Grilled haloumi and galia melon, cucumber and watercress salad with yogurt-jalapeno dressing @ South Philly Tap Room | Philadelphia
Paula Forbes | Austin Editor
When she’s not enjoying typical Austin fare (which includes, but is not nearly limited to, barbecue and tacos), Paula spends most of her time as the Deputy Editor of Eater National. Formally the founding Editor of Eater Austin, she currently resides in ATX and loves the hell out of it.
Favorite Dish: The Ainsworth Sandwich @ Fricano’s Deli | Austin
A special thanks to:
Michael Harden, Kevin Freedman, Justin Landis, David Bardwick, MetaXpert, Jayde Cardinalli, Andy Kozar, The Vacationeers, Sudeshna Dev, Emily Betty Ehrlich, Katie Reinecke, Chris O’Keefe, Erika Harrar, Ernie Rodriquez, Chris Butler, Aimee Lowe, Emotive Brand, Asketic SF, Mike Jeter
