Five Amazing Women Making Waves in Food Media
Words: Hannah Lemass
Words: Hannah Lemass
We’re still celebrating International Women’s Day around here because it’s not just about shouting ‘yay women’ on March 8th. We should all take the time to truly appreciate the amazing women in our society who uplift and inspire us, and who are blazing a trail for the next generation.
So, we’re raising our glasses all month to the women who innovate, advocate, and inspire, with a series that shines a light on just some of the queens we admire here at Char.
Today, we recognise the women leading the charge in the realms of food and drink media. Through photography, writing, publishing, storytelling, and art, they are shaping how we see and talk about food—while championing those who work tirelessly to keep us fed and inspired.
The Visual Feastmaker
Nobody makes food (or people for that matter) look good the way Ruth does. It’s a privilege to see the deliciousness of the world through her lens. As the Irish Food Photographer of the Year in both 2023 and 2024, it’s no wonder she’s in such high demand. If you’ve seen a picture of something tasty recently then there’s a good chance Ruth took the shot.
She is the first call for some of the biggest names in the industry, from the two-Michelin-starred excellence of Liath to the cheerful, casual eats of BuJo. Ruth has captured it all, helping these stunning dishes reach their full artistic potential.
Images: Ruth Caulder-Potts
The Book Boss
Kristin is a trailblazer in Irish culinary media. As a writer, editor, and publisher, she has spent years amplifying diverse and emerging voices. In 2021, she founded her independent press, Nine Bean Rows Books, and launched the much-adored Blasta Books quarterly series. In a world where only the biggest celebrity chefs typically get to publish cookbooks, this groundbreaking series has changed the game, shining a spotlight on Ireland’s ever-evolving food and drink scene while giving independent cooks a platform to share their recipes and stories.
Small, hardback, and adorned with stunning illustrations by Irish artists, these books are beautifully digestible. They bring a fresh, artistic revolution to cookbook design, making cooking both fun and accessible while celebrating underrepresented food stories and putting the power back into the hands of passionate food creators
Jane Gleeson
Jane has managed to marry visual artistry with food appreciation through Guzzle, an annual food and art publication. It celebrates the country’s vibrant food and drink scene by sharing stories from a generation-defining group of artists and writers, all through the lens of food. The latest issue explores themes of intimacy and love in a variety of forms, from motherhood to migration and much more. Food is something that connects us, and it plays an intricate part in our stories. Guzzle takes a look at that in a visually stimulating, fun, and poignant way.
Images: Savannah van der Niet
The Farm To Table Storyteller
Janine is a chef and food writer, known for her engaging features in the Irish Farmers Journal. What sets her apart is her unique combination of expertise as a chef and her warm, straightforward storytelling. Originally from Canada, she now lives on a dairy farm in Tipperary. This gives her a rare ability to connect with and express a deeper knowledge of food—beyond just taste.
She understands what goes into feeding people, from farm to table. Her warmth and authenticity shine through in her writing, where she not only highlights what’s worth eating but also explores broader topics like agriculture, sustainability, gender, and rural affairs.
The Zine Queen
Victory Nwabu-Ekeoma is an award-winning innovator in food media. She has been writing for and editing independent publications, as well as creating zines, for over a decade. Her passion project, Bia! Zine exploded onto the scene with its debut issue, and she has since released a second.
In 2024, she won the Writing on International Cuisines category at the Food Writing Awards for the zine which celebrates immigrant voices in Ireland’s food scene and showcases how food connects people to their roots and brings a taste of home to new surroundings. Since launching issue two, Victory has been working behind the scenes to show off the project internationally.
Join us in saying thanks to all the amazing women who make this city great. All those who came before us and all these who pave the way ahead.
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