fiona Sims
Fiona Sims is a food, drink and travel writer with nearly 20 years experience of writing for the UK's top newspapers and magazines.
* after completing an Art History degree, she spent five years in the art world before ending up at her favourite consumer food and drink magazine Taste. After three years on staff she took a year long break for a trip around the globe before returning home to Inside Hotels magazine as deputy editor. She took her Higher Certificate of Wine, and studied for her Diploma of Wines & Spirits, later moving to an editing and writing position at publishing behemoth Reed Elsevier on its flagship title, leading hospitality weekly, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, before going freelance. She now divides her time between her home office (a hut at the end of her garden) and travelling the globe.
* has written for many different magazines and newspapers, including The Times (T2 and Weekend), The Guardian, The Observer, Sainsbury's Magazine, High Life, Decanter, BBC Olive, Caterer & Hotelkeeper and Square Meal.
* has interviewed many of the world's top chefs, food and drink personalities, and hoteliers, including Charlie Trotter, Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Heinz Beck, Michel Bras, Pierre Gagnaire, Ferran Adrià, Danny Meyer, Elena Arzak, Olga Polizzi, Robert Mondavi and Paul Draper.
* has commissioned some of the country's top journalists in food, drink, travel and leisure.
* has travelled to top restaurants with many of the world's most famous chefs - accompanying Heston Blumenthal on his first trip to the legendary El Bulli in Spain (along with Gordon Ramsay); visited The French Laundry in Napa, California, with Jason Atherton; and experienced Michel Bras with Bruce Poole of London's Chez Bruce.
* has written two books, Guide to Wine (Parragon) and Wine Made Simple (Marks & Spencer).
* you can read about some of her jaunts in recent articles through the links below, from sampling street food in central Mexico and drinking the best rum punch in Barbados for British Airway's High Life magazine, to celebrating the vegetable cooking of Puglia in southern Italy for The Times and the joys of eating puffin in Iceland for The Guardian. Closer to home, she explores how British chefs are discovering the fifth taste and how jelly has made a comeback and she consults the Queen of Rations, Marguerite Patten, on what to do with leftovers not to mention getting a little star struck while interviewing her favourite author, William Boyd, for Decanter.
Contact
Skills
Feature writing (including food-related travel features), 'opinion' and other topical columns, commissioning editor, trendspotting, interviews with chefs and food producers, winemakers and distillers, restaurant reviews, recipe development (food & cocktails), recipe editing, matching food and wine, beer and other drinks, conducting tastings, copywriting. Excellent contacts in the food, drink and travel world.
