Freelancer and “grape aficionado” Anthea Gerrie writes food, drink, health, and lifestyle features for publications such as The Independent, Food & Travel Magazine and also teams up with her husband David as TheWineWanderers. Where is Anthea hoping to wander to next in her freelance travels, and what will she imbibe when she gets there? 

About your journalism

What do you write about?

Food, wine and spirits, travel, health and general lifestyle features.

Where are we likely to see your work?

The Independent, Mail on Sunday,  Food & Travel Magazine, Jewish Chronicle and the blog I write with my other half, food and wine writer David Gerrie.

What’s the most memorable work you’ve done?

Breaking the Cleveland child abuse crisis – actually a witch-hunt which destroyed families – for the Daily Mail in 1987.

What interview or feature would you love the chance to do?

I’d like to get to Peru to discover the origins of a cuisine set to take over the world, and to Brazil to explore how cosmetic surgery is delivered at village level, as well as to taste the feiojada and cachaca.

About you and PRs

Where do you source ideas for articles?

Trends, often picked up in restaurants at home and abroad, radio, local and national television – and good press releases.

How can PRs be useful to you?

By coming up with a compelling story and offering it as an exclusive.

How and when do you like them to get in touch?

Email is best, as deadlines mean I don’t always have time to chat, and I can see how the idea stands up on the page.

Do you find press conferences, trips, parties and other events useful or an interruption?

Press trips are great for networking and yielding material which may not be set out in the original programme. Press conferences are generally only useful if I can get highlights in advance. Parties and other events have to be worth travelling 50 miles into London for – which makes breakfasts out of the question.

If you could make one change to the way PRs deal with you, what would it be?

Make a compelling headline out of the subject line of your email, and don’t expect me to open attachments.

About you

How would you pay the bills if you weren’t a journalist?

Writing website content and ghosting cookbooks – I’m up for offers!

If we gave you £1000, how would you spend it?

On an iPad, to release my inner David Hockney; art photography is still an important part of my travels, but I don’t get to draw enough now my art school days are over.

Do you tweet?

Yes, @aceglobetrotter – celebrating and sharing beautiful moments at home and abroad, and it only makes sense to link to new pieces as they are published.

What books are on your bedside table, magazines in your bag, or blogs on your screen?

Dr. Sam Parnia’s ‘The Lazarus Effect’ – he says “death is now fully reversible” – and I enjoy the blog posts of Eat Like A Girl from a writer who, like me, is fascinated by the culinary aspects of her travels.

Anthea Gerrie is eating, drinking, and blogging at TheWineWanderers and tweeting @aceglobetrotter.