Expert Editors interview experts about the products they trust in their chosen fields. In our latest issue, we spoke with Eater Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Wu about the new Eater app, her advice for those looking to get into the media industry, and her personal must-haves and product recommendations.
Eater editor-in-chief Stephanie Wu has extensive experience in the publishing industry. She grew up in Taiwan and developed an interest in magazines at an early age, which led her to a career in journalism, where she worked at Town & Country, Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler magazines, reporting on Content ranges from fashion and beauty to food, culture and travel. Today, she’s very proud of the new Eater restaurant app, which literally puts users on a map, allowing them to search for nearby editor-recommended places and dishes and even lock in reservations on the spot.
“It’s not just what you eat, but where you eat it – and who you eat it with.”
Wu is constantly thinking about how her brand can impact the lives of others with similar passions, from cookbooks and travel guides to cookware and YouTube. The new app is evidence of her desire to expand Eater’s reach in the restaurant world. “I love restaurants because they are more than just food. They focus on hospitality and the feeling of being cared for, they create menus that shed light on the chef’s thoughts and personal history, and they create an environment you want to return to again and again,” she said. “I go to new places all the time, but I try to remember that it’s not just what you eat, but where you eat it—and who you eat it with.”
Wu, a mother of two, is busy balancing family life and career with her husband. For those trying to do the same thing—or even those trying to get into the industry—her biggest advice is to consume as much media as you can in the kind of media you want to work in. “If you spend all your time on social channels watching videos, that’s a very different platform than editing a website. If you prefer text, then writing a feature and writing a newsletter are very different skills,” she explains . “Find out the mediums you are naturally drawn to and you will become a stronger writer/producer/designer.”
In addition to her wise words of wisdom, Wu offers plenty of shopping advice on travel, leisure, and, of course, food. Click through to see her personal must-haves, her go-to sweatshirts to wear on the plane, and her favorite spices to add flavor to all her dishes, making for great gifts this holiday season.
