Kayleigh Ruller
(She/Her)
As seen in:
MSN Philippines,
Yahoo Entertainment,
Yahoo Life,
Yahoo Canada,
Yahoo News,
Aol,
Spotify,
Outpost (Newsletter),
Substack,
Flipboard
and
Covers:
Food, food culture, travel, hospitality, health, science, performance arts, business profiles, recreation, community events
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
My first job as a journalist was as a writer and reporter for Daily Bruin -- UCLA's student newspaper
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I wish!
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Rachel Lane is the protagonist in Ann Patchett's novel, State of Wonder. She's inquisitive, unyielding, and a connection-maker.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I love a personalized email or a DM. I so appreciate an introduction or opportunity to chat.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Drive, Microsoft, Voice Recorder, iMovie, Reaper, Instagram, good ole pencil and paper.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram. It just is.
Who do you wish followed you?
There's a restauranteur that really inspires me. He's a brand creator, writer, and hospitality extraordinaire. And he doesn't follow me.
Why did you become a journalist?
To pursue curiosity to the utmost degree.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I did not, sadly. I was writing A LOT of essays.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I pursued a story about the fruit truck owners on my college campus (UCLA). We told a tale of of immigration, hardship, and food service.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep writing and ask a lot of questions and keep writing some more.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Mornings are great! But I'm always checking my email.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
1) Coffee date 2) A personalized pitch. I love when the pitch matches the tone and voice of a specific publication.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Improv class or buying a way too expensive coffee.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Small zines found at local bookstores have my heart, as do food magazines like Cherry Bombe, Cake Zine, and Liz Gilbert's Substack.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That food writing is about being a "critique." I'm about celebrating culinary creatives, and finding juicy narratives that strike a chord.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.