Alumna Profile: Joyce Lock
Gastronomy Alumna, Joyce Lock, never played a trivia game she could win but longed for a day when she could demonstrate her true trivia talent; not through history or pop culture but through a topic she was passionate about–if only there was a game about food and wine! This wish became a reality during Lock’s last year of study in Boston University’s Gastronomy Program. For her master’s thesis, Lock invented a food-related trivia game and went on to turn her brainchild into an impressive list of bestselling trivia games!
In 2002, Lock earned her Master of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy at Boston University where she also received certificates in wine and spirits and the culinary arts. Following graduation, Lock has been very busy with her career. She is the owner of Stir, a company that in between game projects provides culinary consulting, recipe development, and food writing services.
She serves on the board of Practical Farmers of Iowa, and has enjoyed being a judge for the James Beard Foundation Awards and Cochon 555, a heritage breed pig culinary competition. Lock’s entrepreneurial endeavors do not end here, as she is best known as the inventor of Foodie Fight: A Trivia Game for Serious Food Lovers (2007), Wine Wars: A Trivia Game for Wine Geeks and Wannabes (2009) and Foodie Fight Rematch (2011).
Lock’s eclectic interests span from how to make the best pie crust to U.S. agriculture policy. This eclecticism is reflected in her trivia games. Each topic is well researched and strives to engage the culinary novice and challenge the boastful foodie. Trivia questions are plucked from a battery of topics such as: kitchen skills, growing and preserving food, farmers markets, and food production and designed to outrun even the fastest running food trends.
Lock’s motivation is clear: “In all my games I strive to challenge the experts and engage reluctant players with fun, useful, surprising, and thought-provoking content—not merely random trivia. Game fans tell me they don’t mind losing a round because they have fun and appreciate that they’re learning new things.”
Lock’s approach to food is thoughtful and engaging. Lock’s work demonstrates that she has her finger on the pulse of the food world: “I think of food as the ultimate ‘social media.’ It connects us to friends, family, and strangers; to our histories, cultures, and the environment. Food is a social expression of who we are in relation to our world. Maybe this is why today’s appetite for all things food—including food games—seems insatiable. I hope Foodie Fight Rematch contributes to the conversation in a fun way!”
Joyce Lock is certainly a woman to watch as her initiatives continue to forge unique pathways to all things Gastronomy.
To find more information or to purchase Foodie Fight Games visit: http://www.foodiefightgames.com