About

Jenn Tanaka is a food and travel writer.

Her stories appear in numerous publications including EATER, Orange County Register, Southern California News Group newspapers, COAST magazine, Parenting OC, and more. Jenn worked at award-winning magazines such as Food & Wine and The New Yorker.

She majored in Literary Journalism and English at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and pursued a passion for cooking at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York.

Jenn staged at restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park, Le Bernardin, Marea, and more. She cooked in a Michelin star kitchen under the tutelage of chef John Fraser. Later, Jenn developed recipes for an innovative female chocolatier.

She savored the flavors of the U.S. when she drove cross-country with her husband.

Barbecue in Texas, bourbon in Kentucky, cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, a distillery in Utah, hatch chiles in New Mexico, opulent Vegas dinners on the strip with celebrity chefs, fresh oysters in Seattle. Flavors that ignited her love for American cuisine.

Jenn’s passion for travel led her to surf in Indonesia and trek to temples in Bali. She explored food stalls in Southeast Asia and learned about culinary traditions in Seoul, South Korea. She briefly lived in a village on a small Greek island and spent a couple summers in the United Kingdom. Her experiences abroad inspired Jenn to write about food, travel, and the people who create these experiences. Her stories include profiles of chefs and culinary artisans; delving into how history, pop culture, and art shape our food and connect us with other countries.

After becoming a mother, Jenn pursued multi-generational travel stories. Her most popular destination features are set in Hawai’i with her children.

Currently, she is developing a book with educator, activist, and influential bi-coastal artist Charles Dailey.

Follow Jenn’s adventures on Instagram.