Hello! My name is Steph Rodriguez and I’m an award-winning food editor and journalist working in San Francisco, California. I bring a unique perspective to food writing and draw deep inspiration from my Mexican-American heritage. Through writing, I enjoy creating dialogue about a range of topics, my favorite being where food and culture intersect.

I’m currently the Food Editor for SFGate, where I lead one of the largest teams in the newsroom. SFGate reaches up to 1 million readers per day, and through the food vertical, my team operates as a daily source for food happenings throughout the Bay Area. We publish a variety of in-depth food features and quick-hitting daily news items.

My professional experience also includes multiple roles at the alternative weekly newspaper the Sacramento News & Review. As Managing Editor, I worked with a dedicated pool of freelance writers as well as collaborated with my editorial colleagues and the design department on special issues. As Dining Editor, I wrote and assigned engaging food features in addition to producing special issues such as the Dessert Issue (No. 1 at CNPA 2018) and the Comfort Food Issue (SN&R’s most popular issue 2019). As Cannabis Editor, I wrote and assigned a diverse range of content relating to the industry’s changing regulations at the state and city levels, as well as investigative pieces that explored unregulated products on the gray market, to features about the increase in mothers exploring cannabis use.

As a food editor and journalist, I care a lot about the people in the back of the house and the treasured recipes passed down through generations that are then shared with customers. Food tells so many stories, and I have a talent for crafting narratives that connect readers to their communities.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Wordstospill and also on Mastodon @Steph_Rodriguez@sfba.social.