Seven years ago Robyn Eckhardt abandoned a dissertation on politics in rural China to write about food. She hasn't looked back, and now writes on food -- and also travel, music, the environment, and architectural and cultural preservation -- for publications such as New York Times, Saveur, Food & Wine and the South China Morning Post.
Robyn is a contributing writer at Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia and reports on food culture in Asia, Turkey and elsewhere for US food and wine website Zester Daily.
She is a former Food Editor at Time Out Kuala Lumpur and the author of Food & Drink chapters for Lonely Planet guides to Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Penang; Singapore Malaysia and Brunei; and Vietnam. For National Geographic's Food Journeys she wrote five essays on street food in the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. She's been interviewed, on air, about Asian street food culture by the The Splendid Table's Lynne Rossetto Kaspar and KCRW's Evan Kleiman.
Robyn has been living, cooking and eating in Asia -- Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Vietnam and now Malaysia -- for over 14 years. She speaks Mandarin, Turkish, kitchen-and-market Thai, and a smattering of Malay/Indonesian. In another lifetime she also studied Japanese, while earning grad degrees in Asian studies and political science from Harvard and UC Berkeley.
She lives in Kuala Lumpur with her husband and frequent collaborator, professional photographer David Hagerman. When not researching or writing a story Robyn leads private, customized street food excursions in Penang and Chiang Mai.
Contact her at: robyn.eckhardt@gmail.com
Selected writings:
New York Times Travel Section
Design Ateliers Set Up Shop in Istanbul
In Malaysia, Tourists Are Lured by George Town's Colorful Past
An Ancient City in Turkey Finds New Life in Modern Art
New Sounds in Chiang Mai's Ancient Alleys
Review: Salt Grill and Sky Bar, Singapore
Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia
Feature: Langkawi's Environmental Challenges
Feature: Going Organic on Java
Beyond Pho: Saigon's Other Noodle Specialties
Saveur
Feature: A Philippine Christmas
Five Don't Miss Food Markets in Southeast Asia
Wall Street Journal Asia
A Tale of Two Cities: UNESCO Challenges for Luang Prabang and George Town, Malaysia
Disappearing Act: The Fate of a Bangkok Food Treasure
Ground Rules: Finding Asia's Best Cup of Coffee
Street Food Off the Street in Southeast Asia
One Hour Out: Cycling the Stilted Island of Pulau Ketam, Malaysia
City Walk: A Stroll -- and a Cyclo Ride -- Through Saigon
Khao Soi: Chiang Mai's Fiery Noodles are Truly a Melting Pot
Cao Lau: The Secret Behind Hoi An's Iconic Noodle Dish
Budget Travel
My Kuala Lumpur is Better Than Yours
Zester Daily
How to Safely Indulge in Asian Street Food
Hamsi Fest: Anchovy Season in Turkey
Luang Prabang: The Heart of Lao Cuisine
