[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 161 (Friday, September 28, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING JONATHAN GOLD

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JUDY CHU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 28, 2018

  Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Jonathan Gold, award-winning food critic and longtime Pasadena 
resident, who passed away in July from pancreatic cancer at the age of 
57. Mr. Gold was the first food writer to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize, 
in 2007, and was also the recipient of five James Beard Awards for his 
reviews and criticism.
   Jonathan Gold was born in South Los Angeles on July 28, 1960, and 
remained a true Angeleno for his whole life, attending high school in 
Beverly Hills and college at my alma mater, the University of 
California, Los Angeles. While he is best known for his passion for 
food, Mr. Gold is credited for introducing Los Angeles and its visitors 
to new foods, culture and experiences.
   Mr. Gold began his writing career as a copy editor for the LA Weekly 
while he was still a student at UCLA. After receiving his bachelor's 
degree in the history of music, he went on to serve as a music editor 
for the Weekly, until he began writing his now-famous food column, 
Counter Intelligence, in 1986. At a time when most food critics were 
focused on haute cuisine and high-end dining, Mr. Gold was an avid 
pursuer of local establishments, publishing rave reviews of street 
food, hole-in-the-wall joints, and neighborhood spots. His poetic 
prose, vivid descriptions of taste and texture, and eclectic references 
to everything from pop culture to historical ephemera earned his 
writing many devoted followers. It was no surprise that he won the 
Pulitzer Prize in 2007.
   I have personally followed Mr. Gold's work for years, as he moved 
from the LA Weekly, to Gourmet, to the Los Angeles Times, shining a 
light on neighborhoods and establishments all around Los Angeles and 
the San Gabriel Valley. Mr. Gold's reviews became an essential guide to 
Los Angeles, giving a window into the way in which food can bring 
communities together, writing about both the food itself and the people 
who prepared it. He frequently wrote about ethnic food and Los Angeles' 
many immigrant communities, in an effort he described as ``celebrating 
the glorious mosaic of the city.'' His deep love of Los Angeles showed 
in the rich map he created of the city and its people, crisscrossing 
the San Gabriel Valley in his pickup truck, always in search of new and 
exciting places to eat and new people with whom to share a meal.
   Mr. Gold is survived by his wife, Laurie Ochoa, and their two 
children, Isabel and Leon. It is my distinct honor to commemorate the 
life and writing of Jonathan Gold and his lasting impact on Los Angeles 
and the San Gabriel Valley.

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