Robb Walsh
Dooneen
New Quay, Burrin Co. Clare, Ireland
EDUCATION
B.A. College of Humanities, Germanic Languages, Department of Scandinavian Studies
The University of Texas at Austin
Graduate Studies in Drama
The University of Texas at Austin
ONLINE FOOD WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY
IrelandEats.com 2017 to present
• Blog on Irish food aimed at culinary tourists
GalvestonEats.org 2015 to present:
• Showcase for an award-winning series of short films about disappearing Galveston foodways
RobbWalsh.com, 2008-present:
• Food news and opinion personal blog
Eating Our Words, 2006-2010:
• Writer and photographer, three daily posts, Houston Press
(http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/)
FILMS
Writer/Producer/Host of “Galveston Eats”
A series of short films on the subject of disappearing food traditions of Galveston Island in cooperation with the Gulf Coast Food Project at the University of Houston (trailers available at GalvestonEats.org)
“Island Olives” (12 minutes) Official Selection –
New York Food Film Festival, 2020 Paris Independent Film Festival, 2020 Flatirons Food Film Festival, 2020-2021
“Going Crabbing” (10 minutes)
“Island Oktoberfest” (10 minutes)
Writer/Producer/Videographer “Donut People” (11 minutes) Official Selection –
New York Food Film Festival, 2019
JOURNALISM
Food Editor/Restaurant Critic, Houstonia Magazine 2012-2014
• Restaurant reviews and food features for Houston’s city magazine Food Critic, Houston Press 2000-2010
• Restaurant reviews and food features for Houston’s alternative weekly
Columnist, Natural History Magazine 1995-1999
• Author of “A Matter of Taste,” a column exploring issues in food history, food science and culinary anthropology
Radio Commentator, National Public Radio 1997-2000
• Commented on food and culture around the world on Weekend Edition, Sunday
Editor in Chief, Chile Pepper Magazine 1999-2000 • Edited “the journal of hot and spicy foods”
Restaurant Critic, Austin Chronicle 1991-1994
• Restaurant reviews and food features for Austin’s alternative weekly
Magazine Contributor: Gourmet, Saveur, Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, American Way, Garden & Gun
TEACHING
2009-2017 Guest Lecturer: Texas Barbecue, Freshman Class, Meat Science Center, Texas A&M
2009 Guest Lecturer: Rosenthal Lecture Series, Meat Science Center, Texas A&M
2009 Guest Lecturer: Barbecue 101 Class, Meat Science Center, Texas A&M (in conjunction with the National Barbecue Association)
2008 Guest Lecturer: Wonderworks, Non-fiction writing class, Rice University
2007 Guest Teacher: Symposium for Professional Food Writers, The Greenbriar, West Virginia
2006 Guest Lecturer: Anthropology of Food class, Glasscock School of Continuing Education
SELECTED LECTURES
“Boudin Kolaches and Gulf Coast Creolization,” 2017 Galveston College Lecture Series, Galveston College, Galveston, Texas
“Reviving Galveston Bay Oyster Appellations,” with oyster tasting, 2011 Foodways Texas Symposium, “Gulf Coast Gathering,” Galveston, Texas
“Houston: America’s New Creole City,” 2010 Southern Foodways Symposium, : “The Global South,” Center for the Study of Southern Culture, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
“Bootlegging Dr Pepper and Mexican Coke,” 2008 Southern Foodways Symposium, “Southern Drinkways,” Center for the Study of Southern Culture, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
“Galveston Bay, A Seafood Treasure Trove,” 2006 Southern Foodways Symposium, “The Gulf South,” Center for the Study of Southern Culture, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
“Six Degrees of Hybridization,” 2002 American Studies Association Conference, “Fusion, Creolization and Hybridization in Culinary Culture,” Houston, Texas
“Barbecue in Black and White, Carving the Racism Out of Texas Barbecue Mythology,” 2002 Southern Foodways Symposium, “Barbecue: Smoke, Sauce and History,” University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
“The Reign of Terroir,” 2000 University of Wisconsin-Madison “Taste, Technology and Terroir: A Transatlantic Dialogue on Food as Culture,” Madison, Wisconsin
AUTHOR
The Chili Cookbook: A History of the One Pot Classic, Ten Speed Press, September, 2015
The Hot Sauce Cookbook: Turn Up the Heat, Ten Speed Press, May 2013 Texas Eats: The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook with More Than 200
Recipes, Ten Speed Press, March 2012
Sex, Death and Oysters: A Half Shell Lover’s World Tour
Counterpoint Press, January 2009
The Texas Cowboy Cookbook: A History in Recipe and Photos, Broadway
Books, 2007. Winner of the Will Rogers Award for Western Literature The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos, Broadway Books,
2004. Nominated for the IACP Award, American category
Are You Really Going to Eat That? Reflections of a Culinary Thrill Seeker,
Counterpoint Press, 2003
Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook: Recipes and Recollections from the Pit Bosses, Chronicle Books, 2002. Nominated for the James Beard Award, Americana category
CO-AUTHOR
With Chef David Garrido, Nuevo Tex-Mex, Festive Recipes from Just North of the Border, Chronicle Books, 2000
With Chef Grady Spears, A Cowboy in the Kitchen, Ten Speed Press, 1998 With Chef Jay McCarthy, Traveling Jamaica with Knife Fork & Spoon,
Crossing Press, 1995
FEATURED AUTHOR
Texas Book Festival, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009
Louisiana Book Festival, 2004 Miami Book Fair, 2004.
JUDGE
Irish Food Writing Awards, 2021
James Beard Cookbook Awards, 2016
Clicquot Wine Book of the Year, 1997, 1998, 1999.
Founder and Head Judge, Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival 1991-2015
AWARDS
2011 James Beard Journalism Awards Winner: Food Culture and Travel Category
Garden & Gun
“The Southerner’s Guide to Oysters,”
Co-written with Rick Bragg and Francine Maroukian.
2010 James Beard Journalism Awards Finalist, Multimedia
Houston Press
“Not So Clear Cut” June 18, 2009
2008 James Beard Journalism Awards Finalist, Writing about Restaurants and Chefs
Houston Press
“Guess Who’s Cooking Your Dinner?” December 15, 2007
2006 James Beard Journalism Awards
Finalist, Newspaper Writing on Spirits, Wine or Beer
Houston Press
“Mixing It Up” March 10, 2005
2005 James Beard Journalism Awards
Finalist, Newspaper Feature Writing with Recipes
Houston Press
“Sex, Death and Oysters” March 25, 2004
2005 Bert Greene Award/International Association of Culinary Professionals
Winner, Newspapers
Houston Press
“Sex, Death and Oysters” March 25, 2004
2005 Association of Food Journalists Awards 1st Place, Feature Writing
Houston Press
“Sex, Death and Oysters”
March 25, 2004
2nd Place, Restaurant Criticism
Houston Press
“Sunnyside Sup”
March 25, 2004 “Baklava Bravissimo”
April 1, 2004
“Osso Buco Me? Osso Buco You!”
September 16, 2004
2004 Association of Alternative Newspaper Awards Winner, Food Writing
2004 Katie Award Specialty Feature
Houston Press
“Barbecue in Black and White” May 1, 2003
2003 James Beard Journalism Awards
Finalist, Newspaper Restaurant Review or Critique
Houston Press
“Home of the Squealer”
“There’s Something About Larry’s” “The Barbecue Ward”
2003 James Beard Journalism Awards Finalist, Newspaper Series Houston Press
“The Future of Fusion”
Speaking Engagements:
2008 American Society of Travel Writers convention, lecture and half day tour of Houston barbecue establishments for visiting writers.
2008 Dallas Museum of Art, Laugh Your Lunch Off Lecture Series, Texas Cowboy Cooking demonstration and hour lecture
2008 Pillsbury Bake-Off, Dallas, Created dinner menu to illustrate a half hour lecture on Texas foodways for visiting newspaper editors
2007 Forum Universal de las Culturas, Monterrey, Mexico, Lecture and cooking demonstration on the Tex-Mex invasion of Mexico.
Advisory Boards:
“Barbecue Nation” Exhibition, Atlanta History Center Foodways Texas
References:
- Dr. Jeff Savell, Chair, Meat Science Section, Texas A&M University
- John T. Edge, Director, Southern Foodways Alliance, Center for theStudy of Southern Culture, University of Mississippi
- Dr. Marvin Bendele, Director, Foodways Texas, American StudiesDepartment, University of Texas at Austin