A professional food & travel writer

Six years after graduating with a Le Cordon Bleu Graduate Certificate in Gastronomy, alumna Amanda McInerney has forged a remarkable career as a food and travel writer. It all started with a blog, Lamb’s Ears & Honey. Amanda’s career has since gone from strength to strength, leading to amazing opportunities, working for glossy lifestyle publications and travelling the world.

Amanda’s food and travel blog Lamb’s Ears & Honey, which now has 2261 Facebook followers, was pivotal in building her reputation and public profile. She offers the following advice to aspiring bloggers: “The stories I publish on social media are never about me, it’s always about sharing someone else’s story. Being authentic is important, that’s how you develop trust with your readership. Keep content interesting, produce quality writing, and above all, mind your punctuation!”

An interest in recipe research led Amanda to a second-hand book dealer in Melbourne who had the reading list for the Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomy. The books instantly appealed to Amanda. “I would have read these books for fun, but actually seeing the reading list for the Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomy inspired me to do the course!”

As a mature aged student Amanda thoroughly enjoyed her Le Cordon Bleu studies. “I adored the course, really! It was challenging, there was a lot of reading, and the content was excellent.”

Amanda credits the Le Cordon Bleu alumni network as an invaluable resource. “I particularly enjoy the ongoing relationship with Le Cordon Bleu. I’m impressed with the way they keep in touch with their alumni and continue to support them. There’s a group of alumni that I regularly keep in touch with from my course and I value and enjoy these relationships.”

Since starting Lamb’s Ears & Honey, Amanda’s career has taken her on an incredible journey: writing for local and international tourism commissions, SALife, Tiger Tales, InDaily, Smart Farmer and Adelaide Hills; and organising workshops and bloggers’ conferences for Tasting Australia, SA Tourism Commission and Australian Bloggers Conference. Currently, Amanda is part of an ongoing industry project researching Annual Food Trends for Campbell Arnott’s.

Amanda prefers niche writing on meaningful topics and on principle, refuses to do restaurant reviews. The occasional product reviews she writes are chosen carefully as she feels her integrity is at stake. “If you want to be valued for your authenticity, then don’t make yourself available to every fad. Be selective, make choices that align with your values and your blog, then people will trust you.”

Everywhere she goes Amanda seeks out meaningful stories and culinary delights, following her passion for local food producers. In her personal time, Amanda loves to bake cakes and bread, preferring to cook simple food using fresh, quality ingredients. She loves Middle Eastern food, is an avid supporter of the SA wine industry and lives on a small rural property raising Black Angus cattle.

“My blog Lamb’s Ears & Honey and my studies at Le Cordon Bleu have brought amazing opportunities into my life. In my 50s everything came together for me, and I have taken every opportunity that has been presented.”

Le Cordon Bleu is proud to be a part of Amanda’s inspirational journey, her story encourages us to live our dreams.