This is our fifth edition of our popular ‘Meet the Foodie’ Q&A and we’re delighted to introduce this month’s interviewee – Jenny Tregoning, Sub-Editor of Stylist magazine (@JennyTregoning)
Since our ‘Meet the Foodie’ feature began in November, we’ve been fortunate to interview some fantastic food journalists: Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
- Sheena Horton (Eat In) here
- Fae Gilfillan (Veggie) here
- Karen Barnes (Delicious) here) and
- Lucy Blackwell (Bella, That’s Life, Take a Break) – here
Since Jenny took over co-responsibility of Stylist’s food pages in late 2014, she has been busy fact-checking and proof-reading copy, researching ideas for articles, calling in recipes and of course, the arduous task (!) of trying out new restaurants to recommend to readers.
Outside of work, Jenny enjoys kickboxing, cooking, going to the theatre and visiting her favourite restaurants – currently Berber & Q in Haggerstown (for the best shakshuka) or Shackfuyu on Old Compton Street for faultless Japanese-style small plates and french toast with matcha ice cream.
Read on to find out more…
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1. How did you get into your role at Stylist?
I was working as a sub-editor on the features desk of The Argus newspaper in Brighton and was looking to move into magazines, so I took a couple of weeks off work to intern at Stylist. While I was there, the sub-editor role came up, so I applied, interviewed that same week and was eventually offered the job. My colleague Lucy Frith and I took over responsibility for the Gourmet On-The-Go page at the end of 2014.
2. Did you always knowyou wanted to work in a food-based role? What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this?
Not at all. I knew I wanted to work in journalism, and food was always an interest of mine (I’m vegetarian so have always had to be more creative with my cooking and I love trying new things), but I didn’t set out to be a food writer. My career has been a succession of lucky accidents and I love being able to combine sub-editing with writing (and eating). If I wasn’t a journalist, I’m a big animal lover so would probably be working in an animal sanctuary. If you saw the BBC documentary Tigers About The House a few years ago, about a zookeeper who hand-reared two Sumatran tiger cubs, that would be the dream.
3. Please sum up your magazine in one sentence
Feminism, fashion, food (and much more) for intelligent urban women.
4. Can you give us a bit of an insight into your ‘typical’ working day?
My main role is a sub-editor, so most of my day is spent cutting, fact-checking and proofreading copy and taking in changes from writers or editors. When I have a spare moment I’ll be researching ideas for articles, replying to PR emails or calling in recipes, images and samples for the food page.
5. What do you most like hearing from PRs about?
New cookbooks with great recipes and stunning imagery. Cool new restaurant openings – especially regional ones (in our distribution cities of Brighton, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle), emerging food or drink trends, and quirky new product or gadget launches – all with a young, intelligent female reader in mind.
6. What is the most exciting thing about your job – and the most uninteresting?
The most exciting is hearing about and trying out new restaurants (I’m always getting asked by friends for recommendations) and getting to read all the brilliant features in Stylist each week before anyone else. The worst part of the job is trying to keep my inbox in order.
7. What would you say the perks of the job are?
Getting to eat at some incredible restaurants is a definite perk and keeping the Stylist team fed and watered with all the food and drink samples that get sent in.
8. What are your favourite hobbies outside of work?
If I’m not out at an event then I’ll either be kickboxing, cooking or going to the theatre.
9. What’s your favourite restaurant?
I change my mind on a weekly basis, but at the moment it’s either Berber & Q in Haggerston (for the best shakshuka I’ve tried), Shackfuyu on Old Compton Street (for faultless Japanese-style small plates and french toast with matcha ice cream) or Honey & Co on Warren Street (for more Middle Eastern deliciousness).
10. You’re throwing a dinner party and anyone dead or alive can attend – who are the first 3 people on your guest list? And what 3 courses would you cook?
David Bowie and Caitlin Moran for good chat, and Jessie Ware to provide the music. I’d start with a simple beetroot and soft goat’s cheese salad. For the main I’d cook a butternut squash wellington and serve it with potato, pear and celeriac dauphinoise and curly kale (my mum was growing it in the garden and serving it with Sunday lunch long before it became a hipster cliché) and finish with Nutella cheesecake, because even non-Nutella fans – yes, they do exist – have been won round by it.
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