About

About me

I moved from Toronto to Paris in 2010.

In Toronto, I started my journalism career as a general assignment news reporter in some of Canada’s biggest newsrooms (The Toronto Star, The Toronto Sun) chasing ambulances, elbowing my way into scrums, and churning out copy to tight daily deadlines.

In Paris I began a new chapter in my writing career, first as a food and travel editor at an international newswire agency and, most recently, as a full-time freelance writer and photographer.

My byline has appeared in The New York Times, CNN Travel, BBC Travel, Vice World News, Robb Report, Architectural Digest/Get Clever, Glamour, The Huffington Post UK, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Smithsonianmag.com, Shondaland, Fodor’s, Tatler Asia, The New York Daily News, Yahoo and MSN.

My professional strength lies in my versatility: I am equally adept at covering breaking news and reporting to tight deadlines as I am crafting longform features, personal essays, reviews and columns. By virtue of being Paris-based, my main beats over the last few years have centered around food, travel and culture, but I am working to expand my repertoire to include science, sustainability, health and wellness, news and investigative reporting among others.

I am an origami master: I can fold paper into cranes and turtles.

I speak French fluently; Korean like an 8-year-old; and read and understand Spanish.

I prefer the creative process of cooking stews and savory dishes — no measurements required — over baking. I make a mean chili.

In a former life, in what could be interpreted as a foreshadowing of what was to come, I was a flight attendant for Air Canada. I can still recite some of the onboard safety announcements in French.

I have an embarrassing propensity for falling down. I chalk it up to something amiss with my centre of gravity.

I spelled ‘centre’ there with an ‘re’ because I’m Canadian, but in my working life I mostly spell it ‘center.’

Though I live in the birthplace of haute gastronomy, my preferred comfort food will always be spicy, punchy Korean food. For me, there is no equal.

I choose personal freedom and independence over conventional traditions. I am very good at being alone, but not lonely.

My ideal day is roaming the streets of Paris with no appointment or agenda, camera slung around my neck. A decade in, I still don’t tire of shooting the city’s beauty.

All photos on this site are taken by moi unless otherwise indicated.

Above photo courtesy Maria Chang.