ABOUT KATHLEEN PURVIS


I wasn’t always a food journalist. When I started out as a copy “boy” at the Palm Beach Post in 1978, I just wanted to do anything that let me live in a newsroom. In my early years at the Palm Beach Daily News, the Delray News Journal and the Tallahassee Democrat, I did everything from police reporting to interior design editor, national wire editor, copy editor and page designer.

At the Charlotte Observer, I found my real love: Food writing. For more than 25 years, I’ve been a food editor, columnist and reporter, running a weekly section and online food coverage. I’ve also written in, and been written about, in magazines from Garden & Gun to Southern Living. In 2008, I was featured in Saveur magazine’s annual 100 issue for my work as a regional food editor.

My writing has been included in editions of “Best Food Writing” and “Cornbread Nation,” and in Garden & Gun’s new book “The Southerner’s Cookbook.”


 

MEMBERSHIPS & AWARDS


Association of Food Journalists: Former officer and regional co-director.

James Beard Foundation: Former chair of the book awards, founding chair of the Leadership Awards for sustainable food policy, and currently a special representative to the awards committee.

Piedmont Culinary Guild member. [bio]

James Beard Foundation journalism awards, finalist 2019, 2009 and 2003.

Association of Food Journalists, 2014, first place for column writing and food features writing.

Associated Press, 2016, Thomas Wolfe Award for Outstanding Writing

North Carolina Press Association, 2016, first and second place for Best Feature Reporting

Missouri Lifestyles Journalism Awards, 2004, for Food & Nutrition Reporting.