Allie Lazar was a political science major at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, when she flew to South America for an exchange program at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. That was in 2006. Eight years later, she is a freelance writer and eater in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she spends her days eating, drinking, cooking, writing and taking photographs.

Allie and her expertise have been featured in Rolling Stone magazine, The Travel Channel, BBC Travel, New York Post and local Argentine television, newspapers and radio programs.

She also is the Food & Drink editor of Time Out Magazine and has contributed to sites like Vice Munchies, Serious Eats, Eater and NY Post. She documents her gastronomical findings on her award-winning blog, Pick up the Fork, while putting her Buenos Aires culinary knowledge to use organizing customized food tours.

“I gained about 15 pounds when I moved to Argentina and one night was complaining about it to my dad. His advice: "Just PUT DOWN THE FORK." So I guess the name was an act of parental rebellion. I launched the blog in 2010 as a way to document my love-hate relationship with the food scene in Buenos Aires, and share with others my food experiences -- as there was no really honest sites in Buenos Aires other food lovers could use as resources.”

While she is considering publishing a book and is working on an audiovisual TV project, she says her focus is to keep eating and writing.

Food is “an unhealthy obsession. I'm always thinking about food - whether writing an article for work, cooking, eating out or thinking about my next meal. Food is a constant main theme in my everyday life,” Allie said. “I'm starting culinary school soon, so it will be an even bigger part.”