School
Columbia University, University of Missouri
Expertise
Culinary trends, Food culture and ingredient analysis, Product testing and reviews
- Jim grew up in Chicago, where early cooking lessons from neighbors originally from Guadalajara shaped his love of regional food traditions.
- He occasionally leads craft brewery tours in Milwaukee, combining local history, beer culture, and food.
- Jim is a founding member of an award-winning competitive barbecue team.
Experience
Jim Hoffman is a food and lifestyle writer who put himself through college working in professional kitchens and catering companies, where he developed a practical understanding of cooking techniques, ingredients, and recipe development. After graduation, he spent nearly two decades working as a producer and creative lead in digital and video media, shaping content across branded, editorial, and social platforms. Jim has written about food, cooking, and consumer trends for Men's Journal and Taste of Home, creating engaging stories that invite readers to pull up a chair and share a taco or a pint. Today, his coverage focuses on how food reflects culture, history, and regional traditions. If it's something smoky, spicy, fermented, or just plain delicious, Jim probably has a story about it.
Education
Jim received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film from Columbia University and studied journalism and fine art at the University of Missouri.
Mashed’s industry-leading coverage is created by qualified and experienced writers, and is reviewed and fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure everything is accurate and timely. Outside experts are also consulted to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to inform and engage our readers, telling them things they need to know, things they want to know, and things they didn't know they wanted to know about food. We strive to always provide a well-rounded reading experience, whether that’s the news of the day or a new original recipe you can try making at home. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our editorial team constantly reviews and updates articles as necessary. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Restaurants
By Jim Hoffman
It's no surprise that a restaurant meal costs more than if you made it at home, but some items are downright overpriced. Here's the biggest breakfast culprit.
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