Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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4 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com CONTRIBUTORS MEET THE CONTRIBUTOR MARK HAMSTRA Buyers' Picks, Buyer Panel: Retail's Future T his New York City-based re- porter has been writ- ing about food retail- ing, the restaurant industry, marketing, and other topics for more than 25 years. Where do you live? I live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where I have restaurants from just about every major cuisine in the world within a few blocks. I also live right across the street from one of the best specialty food stores in the city, Schaller & Weber. Share your fondest food memory. I think eating late- night tapas dinners in Barcelona, Spain, while on vacation a few years ago really opened up my eyes to a different way of eating. ere's something romantic about sharing small plates of food and drinking a glass or two of wine at 11 p.m. What is one of your favorite articles that you've recently written? I wrote a piece about restaurants that hire individuals who have been incarcerated. It is amazing that the industry is providing some structure in these peo- ple's lives and giving them a fresh outlook on their futures. Do you prefer to eat in or go out? Out. I do all the cooking at home, so I need a break! We like to try a differ- ent ethnic restaurant in various neighborhoods of Manhat- tan, Queens, and Brooklyn a few times a month. What was the strangest food you've had recently? And how was it? I had a century egg, or "thousand-year egg," as some people call it, in Shanghai that was very tasty (it's actually only marinated for about a month, I believe). I was a little afraid to try the scorpions-on-a-stick, which were probably the strangest food I saw in China. What are some of your non-gastronomic interests? I love to hike, though I haven't done much in the last few years. I've traversed the Grand Canyon twice and hiked mul- tiple sections of the Appalachian trail in the Northeast, from New Jersey to Maine. What is your favorite food city? I have to say New York because of the variety but New Orleans is a close second. e care that even the most casual restaurants put into their dishes reflects just how important food is to the culture there. JULIE BESONEN Lifetime Achievement Awards, Producer Profile Writer for The New York Times, and restaurant columnist for nycgo.com JANET FLETCHER Cheese Focus Writer of email newsletter "Planet Cheese" and the author of Cheese & Wine and Cheese & Beer MARK HAMSTRA Buyers' Picks, Buyer Panel: Retail's Future Freelance writer based in New York City NICOLE POTENZA DENIS Buyers' Picks, Category Spotlight Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine SUSAN SEGREST 12 Under 35, Q&As, 10 Things to Know About Gen Y, Z Shoppers Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine DENISE SHOUKAS Trends & Happenings Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine RON TANNER Food Safety Update Vice president, philanthropy, government, and industry relations for the Specialty Food Association ? What is your favorite food gift to give Specialty Food Magazine is pleased to publish insightful and actionable articles from leading journalists and retail practitioners. Really good Italian olive oil