Jess Starwood

Author • Naturalist • Herbalist • Educator

In the Media

ARTICLES, featuring Jess Starwood

The Guardian
Shroom boom: the hunt is on as California rains fuel a mushroom explosion
by Maggie Gammon
March 19, 2023

The Orange County Register
Rains bring ‘shroom boom in Southern California
by Anne Valdespino
April 18, 2023

National Geographic
Love mushrooms? California is having an epic ‘supershroom’ season
by Alejandra Borunda
February 15, 2023

LAist
The Art of Gathering Wild Foods in Los Angeles
by Aaricka Washington
Dec 1, 2022

TheBeet.com
(Going Foraging? Learn Which Mushrooms to Pick or to Leave Alone
by Dierdre Mendoza
September 29, 2021

LAist.com
Foraging In A Pandemic Means Digging Up A New Business Model
by Evan Jacoby
July 30, 2020

FoodPrint
Skip Button Mushrooms and Look for These 7 Mushroom Varieties Instead
By Katherine Sacks
September 28, 2021

FoodPrint
What Are Fungi, and What Do They Have to Do with…Everything?
By Lela Nargi
April 19, 2021

INTERVIEWS

A Forager’s Wanderland with Jess Starwood — WildFed Podcast #101
Wild Fed Podcast: Hosted by Daniel Vitalis

Fascinated by Fungi Interview with Gordon Walker + Jess Starwood Instagram LIVE recording. May 10, 2021

MycoHangout with Central Texas Mycological Society Recording on YouTube. March 2021

Kodharma Podcast: Episode 8: Foraging & Herbalism with Jess Starwood
What foraging for foods means for our bodies and the environment, how to get started with herbalism, and why ethically sourcing local foods is important.

Welcome to Mushroom Hour, Episode 8: Let Wild Mushrooms & Plants be Thy Medicine (feat. Jess Starwood)

For media inquiries email me at jess@jstarwood.com

About Jess

Jess Starwood is an established author, chef, herbalist and educator. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine and Holistic Nutrition. In 2021, she wrote and photographed her first book, Mushroom Wanderland: A Forager’s Guide to Finding, Identifying and Using More Than 25 Wild Fungi.

She also writes regularly for Edible Ojai & Ventura County, Edible San Fernando magazines and The Mycophile—the publication of the North American Mycological Association (NAMA).

Jess founded The Wild Path School where she teaches foraging, wild foods, herbalism and nature education classes for adults and children. She is a member of the Culinary Committee for NAMA and is on the board of directors for the Arizona Mushroom Society and the newsletter editor for the Los Angeles Mycological Society. She has also worked as a wild food consultant and forager for Michelin starred chefs Niki Nakayama and Aitor Zabala. Jess has been featured in National Geographic, The Guardian, and the Orange County Register.

Classes and workshops for adults and children are held regularly in the Greater Los Angeles area and west coast. Weekend and week-long wild food adventures are also occasionally available. Be sure to check out the event calendar or join the mailing list to be notified first of openings and availability.