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I'm Renée Tomato, a culinary journalist and systems writer with hands-on operational experience across professional motorsport, touring productions, large-scale institutional dining, and private estate environments. I publish investigative and analytical pieces on food systems economics, AI displacement in hospitality, plant-based program design, and culinary labor, grounding my reporting in direct operational practice rather than observation. My work bridges industry accuracy with public-facing storytelling, adapting voice across long-form editorial, social journalism, and case studies. Based in Western North Carolina, I maintain active ties to the Swain County community and scope my reporting from local sourcing to workforce and policy implications.…I'm Renée Tomato, a culinary journalist and systems writer with hands-on operational experience across professional motorsport, touring productions, large-scale institutional dining, and private estate environments. I publish investigative and analytical pieces on food systems economics, AI displacement in hospitality, plant-based program design, and culinary labor, grounding my reporting in direct operational practice rather than observation. My work bridges industry accuracy with public-facing storytelling, adapting voice across long-form editorial, social journalism, and case studies. Based in Western North Carolina, I maintain active ties to the Swain County community and scope my reporting from local sourcing to workforce and policy implications.

Renée Tomato

Content Creator, Screenwriter, Digital Marketer, +3

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I'm Renée Tomato, a culinary journalist and systems writer with hands-on operational experience across professional motorsport, touring productions, large-scale institutional dining, and private estate environments. I publish investigative and analytical pieces on food systems economics, AI displacement in hospitality, plant-based program design, and culinary labor, grounding my reporting in direct operational practice rather than observation. My work bridges industry accuracy with public-facing storytelling, adapting voice across long-form editorial, social journalism, and case studies. Based in Western North Carolina, I maintain active ties to the Swain County community and scope my reporting from local sourcing to workforce and policy implications.…I'm Renée Tomato, a culinary journalist and systems writer with hands-on operational experience across professional motorsport, touring productions, large-scale institutional dining, and private estate environments. I publish investigative and analytical pieces on food systems economics, AI displacement in hospitality, plant-based program design, and culinary labor, grounding my reporting in direct operational practice rather than observation. My work bridges industry accuracy with public-facing storytelling, adapting voice across long-form editorial, social journalism, and case studies. Based in Western North Carolina, I maintain active ties to the Swain County community and scope my reporting from local sourcing to workforce and policy implications.

Available to hire

I’m Renée Tomato, a culinary journalist and systems writer with hands-on operational experience across professional motorsport, touring productions, large-scale institutional dining, and private estate environments. I publish investigative and analytical pieces on food systems economics, AI displacement in hospitality, plant-based program design, and culinary labor, grounding my reporting in direct operational practice rather than observation.

My work bridges industry accuracy with public-facing storytelling, adapting voice across long-form editorial, social journalism, and case studies. Based in Western North Carolina, I maintain active ties to the Swain County community and scope my reporting from local sourcing to workforce and policy implications.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Narrative Illustration

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Intermediate

Beginner

Language

English

Fluent

Work Experience

Consultant / Execution Lead at Proof of the Pudding — PGA Tour & Presidents Cup

January 1, 2017 - Present

Directed ghost-kitchen and large-scale production operations for championship golf events, delivering consistent service for 5,200+ guests per service window.

Vegan Program Chef & Touring Operations Lead at Cirque du Soleil — Alegría

November 1, 2021 - February 28, 2022

Led a fully vegan culinary system for Cirque du Soleil’s post-COVID relaunch tour, designing menus and ensuring nutritional integrity for artists and crew.

Culinary Systems Lead at Cirque du Soleil — Volta & Big Top Tour

January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2020

Built and supported culinary systems for touring productions, developing vegan and gluten-free menus while managing variable infrastructure.

Founder & Food Systems Operator at The Handcrafted Tomato

January 1, 2024 - Present

Founded a private culinary company focused on plant-forward menus, managing operations from sourcing to execution for various events.

Consultant / Execution Lead — Large-Scale Food Operations at Proof of the Pudding — PGA Tour & Presidents Cup

January 1, 2017 - Present

Directed large-scale production operations for championship golf events, overseeing service for thousands of guests while ensuring quality and compliance across multiple venues.

Vegan Program Chef & Touring Operations Lead at Cirque du Soleil

November 1, 2021 - February 28, 2022

Led a fully vegan culinary system for the post-COVID relaunch tour, establishing operations and creating plant-based menus for performers and crew.

Private Chef at HNW Client

January 1, 2023 - Present

Directed culinary operations across multiple private residences, integrating estate-grown products into menu planning while managing a diverse of events and dining preferences.

Owner & Operator — Plant-Based Meal Production at Earth’s Kitchen LLC

January 1, 2021 - January 1, 2023

Managed a healthy meal production company specializing in plant-based dishes for sports and entertainment clients, ensuring compliance and quality.

Owner & Operator at Earth’s Kitchen LLC

January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2023

Operated a meal production company specializing in plant-based menus for sports and entertainment clients, overseeing production planning, sourcing, and compliance.

Private Chef at High Net Worth Client

January 1, 2023 - Present

Directed culinary operations across private residences, managing menu planning and daily service while integrating garden produce into meals.

Private Chef at Off-Grid Executive Retreat

January 1, 2023 - Present

Designed fine-dining menus for senior executives in a remote setting, focusing on high standards of service and nutrition.

Vegan de Cuisine (Program Chef) at Camp Romaca

January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022

Designed and operated a fully vegan dining program serving 400 campers, managing meal delivery and allergen controls.

Private Chef at Private HNW Client

June 1, 2023 - Present

Directed culinary operations across multiple private residences, integrating estate-grown products into daily service and themed events.

Culinary Journalist & Industry Analyst at The Handcrafted Tomato

January 1, 2023 - Present

Publishes investigative and analytical pieces on culinary operations, food systems economics, and hospitality labor; distributed via LinkedIn to a professional audience. Authored articles including: "FoodGPT Is Training on Your Recipes — Who Owns That?", "The Lunch Economy: $40,000 a Month", and "Sugar, Sponsorships, and Events: The Quiet...". Covers AI displacement in fast food and hospitality, documenting downstream effects on urban economies, local tax bases, and workforce structure. Maintains consistent editorial voice across technical industry content and accessible public-facing narrative. Adapts reporting style across platforms including long-form editorial, short-form social journalism, and case study format.

Contributing Writer & Case Study Author at Self-Published / Platform Distribution

January 1, 2023 - Present

Produced a detailed operational case study on AI-driven systems integration in private culinary operations, documenting measurable outcomes in inventory, staffing, and waste reduction. Writing in progress: "Off the Line" — an industry field report on culinary labor, burnout, and systemic failure in professional kitchens, written and developed publicly.