About

That home video is of me, Allie Lazar, 4 years old, in 1989 at my grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary (yes, I was a large kid). Ever since a young age, growing up in the mean streets of suburban Chicago, I’ve been a good eater — intensely devouring all things edible like a possessed chubby demon child. Since I’ve always spent my days eating, cooking, dreaming about food and travel, reading and writing about food, and planning my next meal, it was only fitting to channel this food obsession in the form of something a bit more socially acceptable: make it into a profession. Plus, working in food is a legit excuse for never going on a diet.

Here’s my story: I came to Buenos Aires in 2006 to study Political Science at the Universidad de Buenos Aires during a semester-long exchange program, and five ten fifteen (!) years later I’m still here, crazy enough to have fallen in love with this wonderfully chaotic country. I started writing Pick Up the Fork food blog in 2009 as a hobby to document my love-hate relationship with food in Argentina, attempting to liven up traditional restaurant reviews with a little bit of honesty and a lot of bit of silliness. Living far away from home isn’t always easy, but writing helped me work through my homesickness. My hobby turned into an obsession, which eventually transformed into a profession, and here I am, still on an endless quest to eat delicious things and find interesting stories behind those foods.

I have been grateful to see lots of hungry people enjoy and use the blog, and have received chubby praise for my Buenos Aires food expertise with features in publications like the New York Times, Rolling Stone Magazine, New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, The Travel Channel, The Food Network, BBC, and the Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil and Street Food.  I even helped President Obama and Justin Trudeau choose restaurants when they were in Buenos Aires! (I’m sorrynotsorry, but I had to throw in that humble brag because, well, it’s the OBAMAS!!)

Professional Experience:

For nearly two decades I’ve traveled around the world eating, drinking, writing, and telling stories about food and culture. I’m currently the Head of Content and Story Producer for YesChef, we make documentaries and cooking classes about great chefs around the world (think Masterclass meets Chef’s Table). My writing and photography have appeared in publications like The New York Times, Bon Appetit Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, The Guardian, Food & Wine Magazine, Saveur, New York Post, National Geographic, Vice Munchies, Lucky Peach, Serious Eats, La Nacion, Clarin, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Roads & Kingdoms, BBC Travel, New Worlder, Travel + Leisure, The Infatuation, among many others. I’m the former Food & Drinks editor of Time Out Magazine Buenos Aires (RIP), and back in the day hosted a TV series about restaurants in Buenos Aires. Sometimes I organize customized Buenos Aires food tours when food-obsessed travelers come to Argentina, work as a fixer when production companies come to film in Latin America, and offer consulting services for restaurants, hotels, and the travel and food industry.

From street food vendors to top chef tasting menus, I don’t think I’ll ever stop my endless voyage discovering the great foods in Argentina and around the world. I hope you enjoy reading my labor of love and find it useful, because I sure have a blast (most of the time) eating and writing. And if you don’t like it, go suck a chorizo.

Yours Truly,

Allie

P.S.

– All of the reviews are my honest opinion based on personal experience, even if you think they are wrong. You don’t owwwwwn me, restaurant owner, chefffff, Yelp elitist, or press dude.
– I took all of the photos on the site (unless otherwise noted), so please don’t steal them. Or if you do, give me credit for being the fab photog I pretend to be.
– I’m also one of THOSE PEOPLE who post photos of food (and maybe sometimes cats, dogs, and Seinfeld references).  So feel free to twatme, likeme, and insta-assme on da worldwide social media webz –> @pickupthefork
– Questions, comments, complaints, all welcome. Feel free to tell me if you want to be my new best friend…. or if you think my drivel is full of shit. I just may not respond.

Comment below or shoot me a fax —> imhungry@pickupthefork.com