Renate Valencia is a freelance food writer living in El Cerrito. A life-long food enthusiast, she left a business career in 2003 to attend culinary school and then interned at the San Francisco Chronicle's Food & Wine Department. Renate moved to the Bay Area from New York City in 1995 with her husband, Steven, and son, Matthew. The entire household, including the family Akita-Chow, Berry, likes to eat well.