larissa dubecki

MAC.ROB Student, 1987-1990
PORTRAIT GALLERY INDUCTEE, 2015
BA, LLB, Grad Dip Journalism
writer & journalist

Larissa fell into the world of writing after completing an arts/law degree at the University of Melbourne followed by a Graduate Diploma in Journalism at RMIT.

Completing a cadetship at The Age in 2000, she spent several years on news rounds, including state politics and crime, eventually specialising in popular culture and feature writing, including a weekly column on the op-ed pages. Larissa went on to edit the entertainment guide and technology section, Livewire, before being offered the role of chief restaurant critic for The Age and The Age Good Food Guide.

In 2010, her first year in the chair, Larissa was shortlisted in the Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards as the world’s best critic, while her section Epicure won the award for world’s best food and wine section in a newspaper. She has appeared as a guest judge several times on Master Chef Australia and was a permanent judge on Iron Chef Australia.

Now a freelance critic and writer whose work appears in publications including Gourmet Traveller, Time Out and Guardian Australia as well as The Age, Larissa’s first book. Prick with a Fork, published by Allen & Unwin, is a comedic memoir of her decade spent as the world’s worst waitress in various insalubrious Melbourne restaurants. As well as undertaking her first novel, in her free time Larissa attempts to raise two small children, five chickens, a rabbit and a dog. Her husband is thankfully self-sufficient.