Peter Barrett Lives in the Hudson Valley
Food writer, editor, teacher, photographer, and recipe developer with over 18 years of experience. Gardener, forager, fermentation and preservation expert.
WRITING
2025
Writing a book about Brittany with chef Dominique Crenn, working title My Bretagne
2024
Recipe developer/writer, Blue Zones Kitchen: Developed, tested, and wrote 110 recipes for Blue Zones Kitchen: One-Pot Meals, due Sept. 2025
Esquire: Contributed to Best Bars 2024 and Best Martinis 2024 packages
Started a newsletter, Things on Bread, which gained over 5000 subscribers in 7 months
Started a fermentation newsletter, Flavor Freaks, with Rich Shih, co-author of Koji Alchemy
2021-23
Content Editor, RoundGlass Food: Wrote dozens of original recipes, book reviews, columns, and other content. Hired, managed, and edited freelance writers and illustrators. Supervised creation of an ingredient encyclopedia. Recruited video talent, consulted on video scripts, appeared in videos, produced photo shoots, created extensive video, photo, and text assets
2019
Munchies: Photo essay and interview with Michelin-starred chef E. Kornack about slaughtering ducks
Tablet: Wrote and shot two article/recipes about dill pickles and lox
Chronogram: Wrote and shot two pieces about home-fermented drinks and a natural winery
2017
Project 258: Making Dinner at Fish & Game published by University of Texas Press: Wrote, photographed, illustrated, and edited the book, worked with the designer on the layout
Esquire: Wrote three pieces about natural wine for the May issue
2016
Food Republic: Wrote two articles about the Big Glou natural wine fair in Brooklyn
2014-17
Editor/Photographer for Fish & Game Quarterly
2013-15
Writer/Photographer for Edible Manhattan: Wrote and shot two articles, one selected for Best Food Writing 2013, edited by Holly Hughes
2011-18
Writer/Photographer for Edible Hudson Valley: Wrote over a dozen articles, photographed nine
2012
Won Charcutepalooza, a charcuterie contest for bloggers, grand prize a free trip to Paris & Gascony
2010
Wrote the entry on Basque cuisine for Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia, edited by Ken Albala
A blog post about killing and butchering a pig appeared in the Brilliant/Highbrow quadrant of the Approval Matrix in New York magazine’s November issue
2009-15
Food Writer/Photographer for Chronogram, a Hudson Valley arts and culture magazine: Wrote over 60 articles, photographed 7
2006-18:
Sole proprietor at www.acookblog.com
TEACHING & SPEAKING
2025
SXSW FoodTank Summit, Austin TX: Panelist on “The Future of Food”
Kojicon: Presented “Great Taste, Zero Waste” lecture/demonstration
2024
Hudson Valley Fermentation Festival: Co-taught a koji class with Rich Shih, keynote speaker
Kojicon: Presented “Maximum Flavor, Minimum Effort” lecture/demonstration
2023
Hearth Restaurant, NYC & Metropolitan Museum Restaurant, NYC: Professional training sessions for chefs in fermentation and zero-waste techniques
2020
Blue Cashew, Kingston, NY: Taught a class/dinner on lamb leg, naan, and condiments
2019
Dordogne, France: Led 10 guests on a 9-day culinary tour of cooking classes and field trips. Curated and organized all visits, translated and interpreted, taught all classes
Brussels, Belgium: Taught ten people duck cookery in a day-long private class culminating in dinner
Blue Cashew, Kingston, NY: Taught two classes on fresh pasta and sourdough baking
2018–19
Umbertide, Italy: Led two ten-day culinary tours of Umbria, combining cooking classes with visits to markets, vineyards, farms, and other producers. Co-curated and organized all classes/visits, translated and interpreted
2009-Present
Taught dozens of private classes on subjects like pickling, charcuterie, fresh pasta, sourdough, fermentation, cheesemaking, pastry, and condiments
MEDIA
2022
RoundGlass: Shot ten cooking videos, five about pickling and five about pasta
Design Network: Appeared on the “Connect with Your Roots” episode of The Chin Twins show
2020
Starred in an episode of Kitchen Vignettes on PBS Food
2019
Host of CookPod, a podcast of interviews with culinary talents; published 23 episodes
2018-Present
Guest on WAMC Radio’s Food Friday, a call-in show about food and drink, with seven appearances to date covering subjects from whole-animal butchery to fermentation to wine pairings
2013
Handpicked Nation: Shot a pilot for a show about cooking with musicians
WPKN Radio: Did an hour-long live interview about local spirits for drinking and holiday gifting
PHOTO CREDITS
Food & Wine, Wine & Spirits, British GQ, Wine Enthusiast, Edible Manhattan, Edible Hudson Valley, Chronogram, Tablet, Albany Times Union, Food Republic, Upstater, Hudson Valley Magazine
EDUCATION
School of the Art Institute of Chicago: MFA, Painting
Rhode Island School of Design: BFA, Painting, European Honors Program in Rome
OTHER RELEVANT SKILLS
Fluent French and Italian, conversational Spanish and Portuguese. Two stints as a private chef, numerous small custom catering gigs and restaurant popups. 20-year career showing paintings nationally and internationally. Also a garden designer, ceramicist, carpenter, welder, and competent guitar player