Jen Karetnick

Contributing Writer

Highlights

Expertise and experience: Dining critic and lifestyle journalist for three decades who has won numerous awards, fellowships, grants, and residencies for food-and-travel journalism, creative writing, and teaching
Education: Two Master of Fine Arts degrees in creative writing (one in poetry from University of California, Irvine, and one in fiction from University of Miami); Bachelor of Arts in English from Tufts University
Other work: Author of 21 books, including four cookbooks and four guidebooks

Best DIY Advice

Having farmed a historic mango grove for two decades, Jen knows that preserving fruit (and other foods) looks daunting, but it’s really kind of easy. When slicing up lots of fruit for jam or salsa, she uses paper towels under cutting boards to soak up errant juices. She also underfills jars slightly to avoid accidental leaks and explosions when sealing in the water. And finally, a tip she learned from her mom about how to evaluate when an item is still okay to consume: When in doubt, throw it out.

About

Jen Karetnick is an award-winning food, travel, and lifestyle freelance writer; dining critic; recipe developer; and appliance tester with three decades of experience. She is the author/coauthor of 21 books, including four cookbooks and four guidebooks. In addition to writing about food, the home, and appliances, Jen is a keen gardener. She farmed a historic backyard mango grove for two decades before moving to another historic home in a nearby bird sanctuary, where she now grows citrus and vegetables. She has been working for BobVila.com since summer 2021.

Experience

Jen has worked for three decades as a dining critic for various publications. During that time, she’s also worked for nearly a decade as the features editor for Wine News, an international niche publication, and for 5 years as the food editor for three regional South Florida glossy magazine titles. Jen’s freelance writing has appeared widely in titles all over the world including Allrecipes, TheAtlantic.com, The Counter, EatingWell.com, GoodHousekeeping.com, HuffPost, NPR, USA Today, and countless other print outlets and online publishers. She frequently appears as a guest expert on Linda Gassenheimer’s “Food, News & Views” show on public radio. Her food writing has been honored multiple times by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Food Journalists. Jen has received numerous awards for her work including Les Dames d’Escoffier International M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing, North American Travel Journalists Association, and Gourmand Cookbook Awards.

A creative writer and educator as well as a lifestyle journalist, Jen has been honored with numerous fellowships and awards for her creative writing, including residencies from Vermont Studio Center and Artists in Residence in the Everglades, the Deering Estate, Maryland Transit Authority, and elsewhere, and first place honors from the Tiferet Writing Contest for Poetry, Split Rock Review Chapbook Competition, Hart Crane Memorial Prize, and Anna Davidson Rosenberg Prize, among others. A Scholastic Art and Writing National Gold Medal educator, she has also been awarded grants for teaching from Target and O, Miami.

Education

Jen attended Tufts University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English. She holds two Master of Fine Arts degrees in creative writing, one in poetry from University of California, Irvine, and one in fiction from University of Miami, where she was granted full fellowships and teaching assistantships. She also earned a professional teaching certificate for grades 6-12 in English and grades K-12 in the humanities.