Leslie J. Almeida

Freelance Writer, Creative Marketing Strategist

New Orleans, LA

Lifestyle writer specializing in food, dining, beauty & fashion, especially in the New Orleans area. Have written & produced for TV, print & digital. Knack for creative marketing. Love a good Q&A. Amateur photographer, professional cat lady.

Leslie J. Almeida

Freelance Writer, Creative Marketing Strategist

New Orleans, LA

Featured
A Conversation with Chef Adolfo Garcia
Therapist. Referee. Ringmaster. There isn’t enough space on a nametag for all the titles a restaurateur holds. When your job is to put out both literal and figurative flames while juggling a variety of tasks at several properties across the city, you likely have some great advice to share. I sat down with Adolfo Garcia, James Beard Award-nominated chef and restaurateur, to talk business and glean a few words of wisdom.
VIVA NOLA Magazine
interviews
South of Eden
Bad habits are hard to break, especially when they are the kind associated with food. We eat our feelings, snack while bored, and overindulge; in a city like New Orleans, it’s difficult not to. Our food-obsessed society has even associated certain days of the week with food-themed hashtags, such as #MeatlessMonday and #TacoTuesday.
VIVA NOLA Magazine
food business
Featured
Tito's Ceviche & Pisco
New Orleans is a tapestry of food cultures. From the earliest influences of Spanish, French and African cuisine 300 years ago, to the eventual introduction of Vietnamese, Italian and other European food identities, the weave is myriad and diverse. Our most famous Cajun and Creole dishes incorporate the flavors from all these ethnic groups and more, creating gastronomic experiences that are often imitated yet seldom duplicated. Peru, like Louisiana, was developed by indigenous peoples, later colonized, and then inhabited by immigrants from around the world, creating a multicultural nation. Unlike Louisiana, it’s been around a lot longer than three centuries. The comestible customs of these societies are reflected in the cuisine of Peru, with aspects of Spanish, Asian and African cooking often sharing the spotlight with the Amerindian and Andean ways. It is befitting that Tito’s Ceviche and Pisco, the Peruvian restaurant helmed by Chef Juan Lock, would find its place in the New Orleans dining landscape.
VIVA NOLA Magazine
food interviews
Featured
Paloma Café
Imagine that you are back in high school and your teacher says everyone must pair up with a classmate for a project. You turn your head toward your BFF and they turn their head toward you. You exchange a nod or maybe a raised eyebrow. Nothing needs to be said because you both just know you will be working together on this. And everything is going to be alright. Now snap out of it, because it’s 2018 and you have to get to the office and work on that presentation with The Guy That Makes Noises When He Eats. Ugh.
VIVA NOLA Magazine
interviews
Featured
The journey to curly: transitioning to natural hair
Oct. '16 issue | Print & Digital goo.gl/jntmnW - Women of color share their experiences forgoing chemical relaxers and embracing their natural curls (approx. 650 words)
Gambit | The Advocate New Orleans
health beauty interviews shopping guide
Bye, bye bottle: filtered water without the waste
Greener alternatives to buying disposable bottled water (approx. 800 words)
Gambit | The Advocate New Orleans
shopping guide green health
Featured
Mosquito Supper Club Dishes Up Cajun Culture to Preserve It
Interview with Melissa M. Martin, founder and chef of Mosquito Supper Club (599 words)
PROPAGANDA New Orleans
interviews food
Featured
The Best Places For New Orleans’ Most Iconic Dishes
You can travel to most major cities in the United States and know that there is at least one dish you must try before the end of your visit. In New Orleans, that list is a bit longer. Here are five New Orleans classic eats and recommendations on where to enjoy them.
Forbes Travel Guide
travel food
Featured
How To Celebrate Mardi Gras Like A Local
It isn’t a difficult feat to visit New Orleans and, without knowing a soul, stumble into what turns out to be a wild and wondrous party. If you prefer to have a plan of attack during your stay in the Crescent City, there are a few tips to keep in mind when seeking out a true local’s perspective of Mardi Gras.
Forbes Travel Guide
travel
Featured
CityEats | Profile for Restaurant August
Profile of Restaurant August for CityEats (Food Network/Scripps Networks) (2,270 words)
Food Network's CityEats
food
Featured
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
Interviews with prominent members of the Latin community in New Orleans (2,316 words)
New Orleans Living
interviews
Featured
NOLA's Five Best Dishes for Sharing
Listicle-type article with mobile phone pictures, circa 2010 (663 words)
The Daily Meal
travel food

About

Leslie J. Almeida

interviewing

photography

humor

counter-culture

blogging

social media

content marketing

copywriting

writing

I am a Freelance Writer and Digital Content Specialist living in New Orleans, Louisiana. Since 2010, my work in social media and blogging has earned me numerous awards, national recognition and spots on television, radio, podcasts and panels.

Whether I write for social, entertainment media, blogs or other content marketing, my tone is versatile and my style is flexible. I've written for television (talk show/magazine-style), print (magazine articles, a book) and the web (interviews, restaurant reviews, fashion styling, beauty trends); you can find my work on The Daily Meal, Forbes Travel Guide, City Eats, Viva NOLA magazine, and New Orleans Living magazine. While I possess a strong background in food, dining, beauty and highlighting interesting personalities, I have no trouble tackling more technical and researched topics.

SEO-friendly. Marketing-minded. Sharp attention to details.
___

TL;DR

Whether you need:

*blog posts
*social media content
*magazine articles
*copy for products page/e-commerce
*C-Level and employee profiles/bios
*ad copy/slogans
*editing/proofreading
*person-of-interest interviews
*product reviews
*restaurant reviews

...I'm your gal.