Meet Gina Parker | Creative, Food and Beverage Journalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gina Parker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gina, what are you inspired by?
I am deeply inspired by people. It might sound cheesy, but having the ability to talk, learn, and listen to new and old people in my life has always been one of the biggest inspirational factors for me. I am always moved by personal stories and narratives, perhaps a little too much sometimes.

Helping others has also been an important inspirational aspect to my life and my work. I have always had a desire to help out where I can, especially in the realm of food, cooking, and sustainable food practices.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Food has always been a way for me to express myself and spread a little love to friends, family, and strangers. I started baking when I was young, around 11 or 12. This was when I started writing down my first “cookbook” and obsessively watched different baking videos on Youtube for hours. I started to realize the power of food and the impact it had not only on our emotions and memories but the community-building aspect of homecooked meals and freshly made desserts.

As I grew up, I started to establish my own baking business in high school. I would post my menu at the beginning of the week and have people message me via social media to order. This is how I began to reach more people and share my baked goods with my community. I would get such positive feedback and more and more orders each week. I was undercharging so so so much for my products too, that was definitely a learning curve.

One of the biggest moments in my baking career was when I was asked to do a collab for Valentine’s Day with a local floral shop. I fulfilled over 70 orders and learned so much in the process.

I learned a lot about taking my time and delivering quality work no matter how long it takes. Because baking is such a precise art form, there was a lot of trial and error with new recipes or ideas I wanted to try.

When I got to college and lost my access to a kitchen, I started to lean more towards food and beverage journalism or sharing the stories of the amazing restaurants around Denver with my community. I landed an internship at Westword when I was a sophomore in college and loved every moment of it. I got to interview and get to know so many amazing chefs in the area and illustrate their stories to my community.

Now, I am working to build my journalist portfolio (in hopes of working at the Bon Appetit test kitchen) and planning when and where I want to open my own cafe. I know that food inspires me unlike anything else and I am excited to see where my passions lead me.

At DU I have also worked to start an annual event for the community. It is our take on a music festival and farmers market, made by students, for students. I have run it for three years now, and as I am going to be a senior this year, will be doing it for the last time. My goal for this event was to create a more inclusive space for all different kinds of entrepreneurs on campus. I saw all the different disciplines, music, art, prints, and small business, and wanted to bring everyone together for a big celebration.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have a whole bunch of restaurants I would take them too. First, breakfast would be split between breakfast sandwiches and burrito spots. Rosenbergs, Santiagos, and Rebel Bread would take the cake. Bakery Four as well but I have to be loyal to my bakery. Due to the nice weather we have during Summer, I would take them down to Golden to go tubing down the river. Some of the most fun I have had during the Summer time. Lunch would be a good, crusty sandwich from Levan in Denver and we would be off to Civic Center for a daytime concert or to walk around Wash Park. Dinner would be at Alma Fonda Fina in Lohi. Such an amazing Mexican spot. The chefs are so talented and the drink menu will make you swoon.

Coffee is a huge part of my day. Right now I have become obsessed with La Belle Rosette, a local coffee shop by my house. Some of the best espresso I have had in a long time and they turn into a wine bar in the evening.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people who have helped me find who I am throughout these years. I have worked at a bakery called Rebel Bread for the past four years and have not only learned so much about running a bakery but also met some of the hardest-working and passionate people in the food and beverage industry in Denver. I thank all my coworkers for creating such an inviting environment for open conversations and growth.

I also would love to shoutout my mom for giving the creative itch for baking, cooking, and of course, good food.

Website: https://www.westword.com/author/gina-parker

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bakeologybygina/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-parkerr/

Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reallycoolbakergirl?lang=en

Image Credits
Gina Parker