About Andrew Galarneau

Andrew Galarneau is Buffalo’s go-to guide for all things food. With 35 years of journalism experience under his belt — including a long tenure as food editor at the Buffalo News — Galarneau has spent decades earning the trust of Buffalo diners, one honest recommendation at a time. Whether you’re hunting down rare ingredients, searching for the best banh mi in the city, or trying to book a celiac-safe table for eight on a Thursday night, Andrew is the guy with all the answers.

From Newspapers to Digital

Galarneau launched his journalism career at Generation, a weekly student feature magazine at the University at Buffalo. After two internships at the Buffalo News, he was hired by the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire in 1988. He went on to work as a court reporter for the St. Petersburg Times and an investigative reporter for the Lowell Sun in Massachusetts, building a well-rounded reporting foundation before rejoining the Buffalo News in 1997 as a feature writer — eventually becoming its celebrated food editor.

On December 1, 2023 — shortly before his 57th birthday — Galarneau made a bold move, leaving print behind entirely to go all-digital. He launched Four Bites, a subscriber-supported platform where he acts as a personal dining concierge for Buffalo food lovers. The premise is simple but powerful: he doesn’t just publish articles — he gets readers answers.

Four Bites: Service Journalism Reimagined

At the heart of Galarneau’s digital venture is a belief that great food journalism should be useful, not just entertaining. Drawing on theories developed over 23 years of teaching journalism at the University at Buffalo’s English Department, he set out to create a new kind of service journalism — one where the reporter is also a finder of answers, a digital concierge committed to delivering reliable, actionable eating intelligence to his subscribers.

From hidden gems to hard-to-find ingredients, Galarneau puts his investigative reporting chops to work for everyday diners. It’s a concept that has resonated deeply with Buffalo’s passionate food community.

Embracing New Media

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Galarneau has thrown himself into the world of social media — even the platforms that make veteran journalists cringe. His undergraduates at UB taught him how to use TikTok, and he’s been learning reel by reel ever since, building his presence as @buffalofoodguy. As he puts it, faced with the choice of serving an important part of his audience or writing them off, the answer was easy. He’s also active on Instagram, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter), connecting with food lovers across Buffalo and beyond.

Educator and Advocate for Independent Journalism

For 23 years, Galarneau has lectured on journalism at the University at Buffalo — and his commitment to the craft extends well beyond the classroom. He is currently developing The People’s Journalism Academy, a textbook and DIY reporting guide built around a straightforward but radical idea: journalism is too important to be left solely in the hands of profit-driven businesses. The project aims to empower everyday people to report, investigate, and tell the stories that matter in their own communities.

A Proud Buffaholic

Galarneau’s love for Buffalo runs deep — deep enough he put that love in writing for the Buffalo News with the closest thing he has to an autobiography is titled “My Name is Andrew, and I’m a Buffaholic.“ After decades of covering the city’s food scene, teaching its next generation of journalists, and now building something entirely new in the digital space, Andrew Galarneau remains one of Buffalo’s most dedicated, trusted, and enthusiastic storytellers. He’s not just reporting on Buffalo’s food culture — he’s helping shape it.

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About Terry Gross

Growing up in NYC and Coming to Buffalo

Terry Gross was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on February 14, 1951. She grew up in Sheepshead Bay in a Jewish family. She graduated from Sheepshead Bay high school and then went to the University of Buffalo where she received her degree in English and a Master of Education in degree in communications.

Starting Her Career

In 1972 Gross worked as an 8th grade teacher at an inner-city school in Buffalo. She felt that she wasn’t prepared for the job and was eventually fired after just six weeks of working there.

After being fired from her teaching job, she began working at WBFO, an NPR CPB-funded radio station, and then worked as a volunteer on a show called Woman Power where she discussed women’s rights and public affairs.

In 1975, she moved to Philadelphia to host and produce Fresh Air which was a local interview program at the time. In 1985, the show became national becoming Fresh Air with Terry Gross which was distributed weekly. Two years later it became a daily program. Each show would be around an hour long where she would feature two interviews. The show reached millions of listeners daily.

Famous Interviews

Gross has been a journalist for many years and she’s had some very interesting, but difficult interviews over the years:

• In February 2002, Gross interviewed the Kiss singer, Gene Simmons. The interview didn’t start off well because Gross had mispronounced his last name in a way that he did not take a liking to. He threw some backhanded comments at her about it throughout the interview and did not allow the interview to be published to NPR website.
• In February 2005, Gross had the opportunity to interview Vice President Dick Cheney’s wife, Lynne Cheney. The main focus was supposed to be on Cheney’s new book, but Gross began asking her questions about her daughter who was lesbian and specifically asked questions about her opinion of the Bush’s administration’s opposition to same-sex marriage. Cheney declined to respond to that question. Gross continued to ask questions surrounding politics on topics similar to this and Cheney refused to answer them.

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About Elizabeth Cappuccino

Growing up in Buffalo

Elizabeth Cappuccino was born on October 30th, 1994 in Buffalo, NY. Cappuccino has five siblings and her parents are physicians in the Buffalo area. She went to Nichols High School where she graduated in 2013 and went on to NYU’s Tisch School of Arts and graduated from there in 2017.

Jumpstarting Her Acting Career

Cappuccino started her career while she was still in high school with the tv show, Deception. When she went to college she continued to be a part of the show and did her first feature film, Super Dark Times. Since being in Super Dark Times she has also appeared in Orange is the New Black, starred with Angela Bassett in the movie Otherhood, and was in the tv show Next as John Slattery’s daughter.

Some of her more recent work in her career includes Tom Swift (2022) and The First Lady (2022). She currently lives in New York City. Her brother is also involved in the film scene with being a director in Hollywood.

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About Jeffrey Jones

Growing up in Buffalo

Jeffrey Jones was born in Buffalo, NY on September 28, 1946. He did not live in Buffalo for long as his family moved to Putney, Vermont where he attended high school there and later enrolled at Lawrence University for pre-med. He performed in some university productions where he caught the eye of Tyrone Guthrie who then recruited Jones to work at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Starting his Career

His career on the stage included over 125 productions starting at the Guthrie Theatre and then moving internationally to South America, Canada, and London. He began to work in the film industry in the 1970s.

Jones had many small roles in movies and tv shows. Some of his best known roles include Emperor Jospeh II in Amadeus, Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice, and Edward R. Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. He played all three of these roles very well, especially in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The New York Times’ described his performance as having “fine cartoon like ferocity”.

Later in Jones’ Career

After Jones appeared in the golf comedy, Who’s Your Caddy?, he left the tv and film industry for a couple years. He returned with an uncredited cameo as Collier’s editor Charles Colebaugh in the HBO original film Hemingway & Gellhorn. In May 2015, Jones returned to the stage with the New American Theatre production of 63 Trillion.

Jones’ Personal Life

Jones has a son, Julian Coutts, who is also an actor. In Jones’ free time, he likes to engage in everyday tasks such as home repairs.

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About Beth Phoenix

Ties To Buffalo

Beth Kociański, better known as Beth Phoenix, was born on November 24th, 1980 in Elmira, NY. She attended Elmira Notre Dame High School and was the first female wrestler in the school’s history. She moved to Buffalo to attend Canisius College and earned her degree in criminal justice and public relations. As she attended college, she continued to train as a wrestler at a gym in Medina, NY.

Making Her Way to the Top

In 1999, Phoenix became the North-East freestyle women’s champion and also won at the New York State Fair Tournament the same year. As she was attending Canisius College, she was trained by the All Knighters, Joey Knight and Robin Knightwing. Her professional wrestling debut match was against Alexis Laree. She then worked for various independent promotions, including Cleveland All Pro Wrestling and Apocalypse Wrestling. In 2002, she was one of the first wrestlers in GLORY, an independent organization for women. She then joined Far North Wrestling and was the only female wrestler in the promotion.

Career in WWE

In May 2004, Phoenix was invited to a tryout with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and then relocated to Louisville, Kentucky to work for their then-developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). She signed a developmental contract with WWE on October 20, 2005. Phoenix debuted on WWE’s main roster on May 8, 2006. Phoenix suffered a jaw injury and returned to action back in the OVW on August 16, 2006.

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About Steven “Stevie J” Jordan

Growing Up in Buffalo

Steven “Stevie J” Jordan was born on November 2nd, 1973, in Utica, New York. He was raised in Buffalo and Rochester, NY by his father after his family was abandoned by his mother. He moved back to Buffalo for his senior year of high school. He had a passion for music and met different people who encouraged him to pursue his dreams. He met members of the group Jodeci at a fashion show in Buffalo and went on to produce two of their songs which led to his career with Bad Boy Records.

Career in the Spotlights

When Jordan worked for Bad Boy Records, he often worked with label owner Sean Combs. He also worked with the band 112 and produced their lead single “Only You” that featured The Nortorious B.I.G. Jordan also produced several records on Notorious B.I.G’s Life After Death album. Jordan went on to win a Grammy Award for production work on Combs’ No Way Out album. He also worked for artists including Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Lil’ Kim.

Jordan’s Life on Screen

In 2012, Jordan began appearing as a primary cast member of the VH1 reality tv show, Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, which featured him involved in a love triangle involving his then-girlfriend, Mimi Faust, and new girlfriend, Joseline Hernandez. Since the show premiered in 2012, Jordan and Hernandez have become a popular couple in the hip-hop world, making cameo appearances in music videos.

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About Joe Licata

Growing Up in Buffalo

Joseph Licata was born on November 16th, 1992 in Buffalo, NY. He went to Williamsville South High School where he played football and basketball. He set the New York State Public High School Athletic Association record for career three-point field goals with 343 as a basketball player. He was also Buffalo News Player of the Year in 2010.

Playing at UB

After high school, Licata played for the University of Buffalo Bulls. In 2013, Licata and the Bulls had one of the best seasons the team has ever seen leading them to the 2013 Idaho Potato Bowl. When Licata’s college career ended in 2015, he became Buffalo’s career leader in both passing yards (9,485) and passing touchdowns (76).

Shooting for the NFL

After Licata was not drafted in the 2016 NFL draft, on May 16th, 2016, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played a couple of times in preseason games, but was released on August 29th.

Football Coaching Career

On July 14th, 2017, Licata became as head coach and athletic director at Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School. On May 28th, 2021, Licata accepted a position to return to UB as an offensive analyst. On March 9th, 2022, Licata returned to Williamsville South High School as their football head coach.

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About Dennis Gilbert

Growing Up in Buffalo

Dennis Gilbert was born on October 30th, 1996 in Buffalo, NY. Gilbert attended St. Joe’s where he played hockey for his father and the Junior Buffalo Sabres program. He also played for Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League. In addition to hockey, he also played lacrosse, football, baseball, and soccer.

Gilbert’s Time at Notre Dame

Gilbert played hockey for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and helped guide them to the Frozen Four his sophomore year. In his junior year, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on April 14, 2018.

Gilbert’s Start in the NHL

At the end of his entry-level deal, Gilbert was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. He then left the Avalanche as a free agent and signed a two-year $1.525 million dollar contract with the Calgary Flames on July 13, 2022. After his contract with the Flames was over, Gilbert opted to leave as a free agent and signed a one-year, $825,000 contract with his hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres, on July 1, 2024. On March 7, 2025, Gilbert was traded to the Ottawa Senators along with Dylan Cozens.

Gilbert’s Thoughts on Buffalo

Gilbert has a deep pride for Buffalo, NY. He was thrilled to play for the Buffalo Sabres and talked about how much he missed being home. Gilbert sees Buffalo as a great hockey town with a passionate fanbase.

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About Jacob Artist

Growing Up in Buffalo

Jacob Artist was born on October 17th, 1992, in Buffalo, NY. At a young age, Artist started dancing at David DeMarie Dance Studios and competed nationally in different styles of dance. He was named Teen Dancer of the Year at the American Dance Awards in 2007. He graduated from Williamsville High School in 2010. He was accepted to Juilliard, but declined the offer to start his acting career in Los Angeles.

Starting His Acting Career

Artist began his acting career in 2011 with an episode on Bucket and Skinner’s Epic Adventures. He was also in Melissa & Joey, How to Rock, and the romance film Blue Lagoon: The Awakening.

Hitting it Big with Glee

Artist’s manager got him an audition for Glee and he went in singing for the casting director. He has stated prior that prior to that audition, he had never done a singing performance before. He received a call back where he then had to sing and act. A few days later, he found out he was going to test with Ryan Murphy and the FOX executives. He discovered that he got the part hours before it was announced. He was featured in 36 episodes.

In 2015, Artist joined the ABC drama-thriller series Quantico, playing the role of Brandon Fletcher. Since 2015, he has been in American Horror Story: Roanoke and The Get Together.

What Jacob Artist Has Been Doing Recently

Artist has started to work on his music career more with the release of his song, “before”, and its alternate version in early 2024. He is also the host of the podcast, “True Artist”, where he talks about his acting career including his experiences on Glee.

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About Frank Mancuso Jr.

Growing Up in Buffalo

Frank Mancuso Jr. was born on October 9th, 1958 in Buffalo, NY to Fay Mancuso and Frank Mancuso Jr., who became the Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO. He was quite literally born to be in the filming industry.

Frank Mancuso Jr. had his start into the movie industry with his first job working as a part-time usher at the Lafayette Theater in Buffalo. Which was similar to his father who had worked at Buffalo theaters as a part-time usher until he made his way through the ranks at Paramount.

Frank Mancuso Jr. was fascinated by how big of an impact films had on people based on the reactions he had seen from people in the theaters he had worked in.

Making His Way to the Top

After his family moved to Canada, he began booking short films for Canadian theaters through Paramount Film Services which helped him to gain initial production experience. He later worked as a location assistant on the 1980 film Urban Cowboy.

Mancuso’s Most Popular Productions

Mancuso Jr’s first major producing role and one of his most famous productions was as an associate producer on Friday the 13th where he then went on to produce further installments of it. In the 1990’s, he produced the sci-fi horror series, Species, for MGM. Other popular productions he has worked on include: Internal Affairs (1990), Ronin (1998), and Stigmata (1999).

What Frank Mancuso Jr. is Doing Today

For the most part, Mancuso Jr. works as a screenwriter. His most recent work includes the adaptation of the novel There Once Was a Melody in the Bronx. He is also working on L’Onore Part Two: The Betrayal. Mancuso Jr. currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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