Laura shatkin

EVANSTON, IL USA
Contact

Professional Experience

A veteran multi-media journalist, I've spent the past 18 years covering fascinating inside stories in food, wine, spirits, and travel. I am thrilled about telling the stories behind the area, person or product and have a knack for bringing a comfort level to my subjects. I've moved into freelance media more recently so I can broaden my writing outlets. I dig deep into issues and stories and write/shoot video and produce content in a passionate and authentic manner. Please see my clips and contact me soon.

Expertise

Producer (new media)
9 Years
Producer (television)
9 Years
Writer
18 Years

Specialty

Food
18 Years
Travel
10 Years
Other, Specify
15 Years

Industries


Broadcasting - Ent - TV (Local)
4 Years
Magazine - Local/Regional magazines
12 Years
Online/new media
8 Years

Total Media Industry Experience

20 Years

Media Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

Chicago Reader (10+), Chicago Tribune (10+), Today's Chicago Women (10+)

Corporate Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

Southern Wine (6-10), Wirtz Beverage (6-10), Peapod Delivery (1-2)

Other Work History

Travel Bureau's, Chambers of Commerce and Wine Associations across the country and internationally

Technical Skills

video editing, photo editing, social content distribution via networks

Foreign Language Skills

Spanish

Computer Skills

Database development and analysis, email campaigns, excel, word, all Mac applications, Final Cut/iMovie

Equipment

hd digital video camera, digital SLR still camera, MacBook Pro for digital editing

References

Jenniffer Weigel, Chicago Tribune Kelly Culter, Marcel Media

Awards

Received HubSpot Certificate of Inbound Marketing Expert Nominee; Peter Lisagor Writing Excellence Certificate Sommelier, Court of Master Sommelier

Showcase

Recipe Writing Samples

Making Pupusas
(ChicagoTribune 2/14/2014)
This piece was a recipe for El Salvadoran Pupusas. It ran as a feature on the cover page of Chicago Tribune Good Eating section.

Writing Samples; Food

Cauliflower has taken it's lumps Long Enough
(Chicago Tribune 3/15/2012)
Fun roundup of various cauliflower dishes at Chicago restaurants.

Writing Samples; New Opening

New York Micro-Winery in Chicago
(Chicago Sun-Times 4/12/2011)
A preview of the soon to open City Winery in Chicago. This was a feature on the cover of the Food section.

Video Samples; Wine

Wine Picks
(Taste on NBC5 Chicago 8/14/2008)
This Wine Picks is a sample of the wine coverage and story telling we captured for Taste on NBC5 Chicago.

Video Samples; Restaurants

Sepia Restaurant Video
(Taste on NBC5 Chicago 5/15/2008)
This is a sample of the video style when we cover restaurants for the show Taste on NBC5 Chicago, currently not airing.

Writing Samples; Wine

The Bolder Side of Bubbly
(Today's Chicago Woman 12/1/2013)
Article on Champagne and some of the French winemakers that came through Chicago to taste their wines.

Video Samples; Spirits

Side Car Cocktail
(Taste on NBC5 Chicago 6/12/2008)
Mixology 101 was a segment within Taste on NBC5 Chicago in which we featured an expert Mixologist shaking up craft cocktails or classics.

Video Samples; Chefs

Avec with Koren Grieveson
(Taste on NBC5 Chicago 8/23/2008)
The Chef-focused video highlights the interviews captured for our restaurant segments; Taste on NBC5 Chicago.

General

Warm with with Winter Cocktails
(Make it Better 2/1/2014)
A cocktail round up of the Chicago area and suburbs.
Wine & Dine
(Chicago Reader 4/1/2007)
A sample of my monthly pairing article for Chicago Reader. This series paired wine to a non-wine centric cuisine at a BYO restaurant in Chicago; Korean, Northern Thai or Persian. A fascinating meal with a famous sommelier yielding these suggestions for my readership when they were heading to a BYO.
In the Kitchen
(Chicago Reader 5/1/2007)
This is a sample of my In The Kitchen series, telling the inside stories of small ethnic restaurant owners in Chicago restaurant.
Gadget Games
(Chicago Sun-Times 3/22/2011)
A fun piece on various kitchen gadgets that are lesser known.