My workshops and conferences

A France Workshop on Food Writing

December 20, 2016 by diannejacob 21 Comments

The charming breakfast room of Jamie Schler’s 15th Century Hotel Diderot, with its fireplace and beamed ceilings. That cupboard in the back is full of her home-made jams. The room was our meeting place for writing and instruction. Here the students worked on a writing assignment based on visiting the town market. (Photo by Owen Rubin)

Bonjour! I’m back at my desk, jet-lagged since returning Sunday night from from our France workshop.

After my husband and I flew to Paris (and I got about two hours’ sleep on the plane), I drove our rental Peugeot to Chinon, a cobbled village in the [Read more…] about A France Workshop on Food Writing

A December Writing Workshop in France

August 2, 2016 by diannejacob 25 Comments

Writing-Around-the-Table Do you need an excuse to fly to Paris? Take a short train ride to the Loire Valley? Eat and drink fabulous food in France? Go on a truffle hunt?

…Work on your food writing skills and career goals?

Ahem. I thought so.

I’m partnering with Jamie Schler, an American food writer I’ve known for years. We’re doing a food writing workshop in the town of Chinon [SHEE-no], where she and her husband own a charming 15th Century hotel. Come join us December 7-11, 2016.

Hotel-Diderot-Chinon

About the Instructors

Jamie has lived across the pond for more than two decades. She started her food blog Life’s a Feast in 2008, and shares thoughtful food-related stories of her life in France. Her writing has appeared in [Read more…] about A December Writing Workshop in France

Snaps from our Cambodia Workshop

June 28, 2016 by diannejacob 20 Comments

Edible flowers used to color tea. (Photo by Amanda McInery.)

Edible flowers sold at the daily market. One of the restaurants we visited, Mie Cafe, used them to color tea. (Photo courtesy of Amanda McInery of Lambs Ears & Honey blog.)

I’m just back from a Cambodia workshop on culinary storytelling through photography and food writing. I’m still pinching myself over this fantastic opportunity. And in all honesty, I’m still getting over jet lag.

Travelling to a workshop is a fun way to [Read more…] about Snaps from our Cambodia Workshop

Lots of Events Coming Up

February 16, 2016 by diannejacob 7 Comments

Hey there, I don’t always hang out at my desk in sweats, squinting at my screen. Sometimes I put on a dress, and then speak and teach at events and conferences. Thank goodness for a chance to get out, dress up, and meet people!

Here’s where I’m heading in the next few months. I hope to see you soon at one of these events.

February 17, 2016
Book signing and talk
Book LarderSeattle, WA
6:30 – 8 p.m. Free
Seattle folks, let’s talk about current trends in food writing and publishing. Bring a question or topic that’s been on your mind.

March 13, 2016
Reading
LitQuake
Palo Alto JCC
3-8 p.m. Free
I’ll give a reading about food writing. Also, Margo True and Kenji Lopez-Alt will discuss the future of food in a conversation.

June Workshop on Culinary Storytelling in Cambodia

February 2, 2016 by diannejacob 13 Comments

Cuisine Wat Dam Nak, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Photo by David Hagerman.

I know, right? Sometimes I have to pinch myself. I taught my first workshop with food and travel photographer David Hagerman and food and travel writer Robyn Eckhardt in Turkey last October, and had a blast. Now they’ve invited me back, this time to teach culinary storytelling in Cambodia in June.

Our workshop is Crafting Culinary Stories: An Intensive Workshop in Food Photography and Writing. It takes place in the resort town of Siem Reap, June 3 to 8 and already there are only 3 spaces left! [Read more…] about June Workshop on Culinary Storytelling in Cambodia

Snaps from Our Turkey Food Photography and Writing Workshop

October 13, 2015 by diannejacob 19 Comments

Alacati writing and photography workshop, October 4-8, 2015

Lunch after a cooking class. Shooting people and food was a prime focus of our workshop. Instructor Dave Hagerman took this shot. He’s a great fan of overhead shots and hands.

What fun it is to make new friends, amp up photo skills, take a cooking class and eat way too much Turkish food. That’s what I did at a food photography and writing workshop in the cobbled Aegean town of Alacati (pronounced Ala-CHAT-ee), in Western Turkey near Izmir. Food photographer Dave Hagerman led the photo instruction. Food and travel writer Robyn Eckhardt organized [Read more…] about Snaps from Our Turkey Food Photography and Writing Workshop

Of Dresses and Events Coming Up

July 21, 2015 by diannejacob 14 Comments

The 2010 signing of Will Write for Food, 2nd edition, at Omnivore Books in San Francisco. I still have that dress! Now I have to remember not to wear it. (Photo by Heather Luhan)

The third edition of Will Write for Food came out last week, and I’ve been busy with promotion. I love in-person events best because I get to see people in real life versus virtual, and wear dresses. Sometimes friends show up for support, which makes these events even more fun, kind of like parties.

So far my summer book promotion — that all-important six-week window — is going [Read more…] about Of Dresses and Events Coming Up