Meet Christina Barrueta of Write On Rubee in Northwest Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Barrueta.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.

I’m a Phoenix-based freelance writer (my website is WriteonRubee.com), but I’m originally from Massachusetts.  My husband and I lived in downtown Boston for eight years before moving to Arizona in 2008. Because we have family here, we had visited over the years before our move (I remember one of our favorite spots back then was Michael’s at The Citadel).

A week after we moved into our Phoenix home, I read about James Porter’s first “Locavore” dinner at Tapino (now closed) and immediately made a reservation. I figured what better way to dive right into the scene and learn more about our local winemakers, farmers, and ranchers! And it did really turn out to be a life-changing decision. We were joined by my husband’s son and daughter-in-law, and their close friends, Rhonni and Josh Moffitt, who happened to be starting AZ Vines and Wines magazine and were looking for a food writer. Having read my posts on an online Boston Chowhound food group, they asked if I would be interested in contributing. It sounded fun and I didn’t hesitate. That was the beginning of a longlasting friendship (I still count Rhonni as one of my best friends), and I am grateful to them for introducing me to our award-winning Arizona wine scene. That first dinner itself was just as memorable. I met winemaker Kent Callaghan, whose wines were poured that night, and learned about purveyors such as Desert Sweet Shrimp and Sphinx Ranch. And we ended up returning for the next two Locavore dinners, where I met more wonderful people ensconced in the local food and wine scene – Sam Pillsbury of Pillsbury Wine Co, Todd and Kelly Bostock of Dos Cabezas, and Julie Murphree of the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation.

By the time the Moffitts sold the magazine to its new owners years later, I was contributing three regular features – a restaurant spotlight, a Happy Hour review, and a cockail history feature. Still wanting to support our local treasures, I launched my website WriteonRubee.com to continue to do so, and thus became a freelance writer.

Has it been a smooth road?
I also work a full-time job (QA supervisor and editor at a medical documentation company), so balancing that, along with working on the website, keeping up with social media, covering media events, working on assignments, interviews, travel press trips and deadlines is the toughest part. I need better time management skills (it would be nice to get more than five hours of sleep). I’m still working on that part!

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m honored and so very appreciative for all the support I’ve received. I’ve been inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame, in 2018 I received the Foodist Best Food Writer Award and in 2019 Most Influential in Valley Food through AZ Foothills magazine, and my website has won ‘Best of” awards from Phoenix Magazine and Arizona Foothills. But most of all, I’m excited that the rest of the country is starting to pay attention to the thriving culinary and beverage scene happening here, and I’m doing my best to play a part in getting the word out.

Currently, I’m a freelance writer and regular contributor to Phoenix Home and Garden, where I write about food, cocktails and local chefs. In addition to other assignments, I also contribute to travel publications such as the Scottsdale Visitors Bureau annual Visitors Guide and website, and WhereMagazine’s GuestBook. And my biggest projects thus far – I’ve spent the last two and a half years working on my first two books, one celebrating wine and one celebrating food.

Arizona: A History of Perseverance and Passion (Arcadia Publishing) will debut next month and I’m thrilled to come full circle in celebrating the winemakers that I met those first weeks when I moved to Arizona. My second book, Phoenix Cooks (Figure 1 Publishing), will be a compilation of 100 recipes featuring 50 of our most notable restaurant and chefs, which will be published in the fall of 2020.

Tell us about your favorite and least favorites things about our city.
I love the relationships I’ve discovered in the culinary world. It’s very supportive. Older chefs mentor the younger generation, fellow chefs are always willing to lend a hand to their peers, and I admire the tremendous support they give to the local artisans, ranchers, dairies, farmers, distillers, brewers, winemakers, and distillers. In my many interviews, it’s a common refrain that I’ve heard – chefs mentioning how they appreciate our city’s collaborative spirit – and it shows in the wonderful restaurants we have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.writeonrubee.com/
• Email: christina@writeonrubee.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writeonrubee/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writeonrubee/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/writeonrubee

Image Credit:
Debby Wolvos, Jenelle Bonifield, Rheana Techapinyawat

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