our team.
meet our (small) but mighty team complete with editors, a photographer, and illustrator
Kelsey Adams
CO FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR
“I’ve always felt so intrinsically linked to food. My fondest childhood memories involve learning in the kitchen. I think it’s so telling that when we think about food, we immediately connect it to family, culture or memory. With ripe. I hope to speak to the myriad of deeply personal ways human beings experience cooking and eating.”
I’m an arts + culture journalist from Toronto with a penchant for melodrama.
Claire Varty
CO FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR
“Good food has always been a part of my life growing up. Having a chef as a father and a mother from France, I was and am privileged to be surrounded by a multitude of tastes. Food became something of comfort for me, a constant whenever I needed an escape from stress. wanting to combine my love of food and writing about various social issues, mine and Kelsey's idea of ripe. was born, and I am excited for our passion project to unfold."
I’m a recent university graduate finding my way through this world.
Cherileigh Co
MANAGING EDITOR
“I connect food with love. Cooking a meal for someone is its truest form. From the Asian grocery store to our Brampton kitchen, my mom cooked traditional Filipino dishes and as a child, I knew how much food means affection. ripe. brings together the human experience of cuisine and today’s affairs. As we grow and nourish issue two, I’m fired up to manage ripe.”
I’m a postgraduate Journalism student travelling through my tumultuous 20s in hope of self-realization.
André Varty
IN HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER
“Similar to my sister Claire’s experience, from an early age I had the privilege of being exposed to a multitude of different styles of dishes and tastes. These opportunities to experience something different practically drove my curiosity and allowed me to see things through a new lens. Through these experiences, I’ve learned that food has allowed us to cherish moments and to capture the essence of culture, something that I can only hope to accomplish with my photography.”
I’m a postgraduate Journalism student who is simply looking to create one of a kind photographs that hold more than just a memory.
Michelle Ngo
IN HOUSE ILLUSTRATOR
“As a child I didn't realize my interest in food and cuisine, but I always felt the comfort it brought and the love that made it. Namely, a surprise plate of sliced fruit brought up to my bedroom; or a perfect broth that took a day to make. Food expresses so much about our humanity and I'm excited to help visually translate and share our stories with ripe.”
I'm a graphic designer from Toronto just enjoying every step of the way.