Alessandra Pino

Dr. Alessandra Pino has always been captivated by the mysterious, eerie, and the deliciously dark. Born in Hampstead, London, to an Italian mother and Venezuelan father, Alessandra's upbringing across different countries fuels her rich storytelling. As an expert in Gothic literature, food, and cultural memory, she brings a unique flavour to her writing, blending historical curiosity with a taste for the supernatural. Alessandra holds a BA in English Literature from Naples "L’Orientale", an MA in Translation Studies, and a PhD in Food, Cultural Memory and the Gothic from the University of Westminster.

Before transitioning to academia, she spent nearly a decade working with a Michelin-starred chef. Her research and publications cover topics such as food, cultural memory, the supernatural and the Gothic. She writes for Haunted Magazine and Rue Morgue and is the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook, which explores food themes and motifs in classic and contemporary Gothic novels from the 19th century to the present day.

Alessandra is the writer, producer and co-host of A is for Apple Podcast, which investigates the history of food, and Fear Feasts, a podcast that analyses the horror genre through the lens of food. She lectures at RomancingtheGothic and is a proud member of the Guild of Food Writers.

Alessandra lives with her daughter in East London and, yes, she absolutely believes in ghosts.