Zachary D. Lyons scours the country for fascinating food stories, great local food system innovators and innovations, and just plain great food. He then writes, photographs, organizes and speaks about and with them. He is a widely published food and agriculture writer, publisher, editor and non-profit executive with experience in coordinating and organizing large and small events showcasing sustainable agriculture and family farms. He is an award-winning activist who has served as a board member for numerous local, statewide and national governmental programs and NGOs working with agriculture, food security and culinary issues.
Seattle Chefs Collaborative’s 2012 Farmer-Fisher-Chef Connection at Herban Feast Sodo Park.
From 2011-2015, Lyons served as President of the Seattle chapter Chefs Collaborative, the largest and most active local network of that national organize by far. He served on its board since its inception 1999, and he has organized many local food events for it, including the Farmer-Fisher-Chef Connection, the Insider Series and the Meet & Greet program. From 2007-2015, Lyons also served as the Communications Director, Vendor Liaison and Chef Liaison for the Seattle Farmers Market Association, which operates three farmers markets in the city of Seattle, in the Ballard, Madrona and Wallingford neighborhoods.
Lyons has worked as a freelance writer and photographer specializing in food and agriculture, and a local food system event organizer. He has been published in numerous publications, including Growing For Market, NewFarm.org, Pacific Fishing, SeattleDining.com, Seattle Business Monthly, Seattle Magazine, Seattle Weekly, Touch The Soil, and Wild Catch Magazine. He co-authored the Washington State Farmers Market Manual (Washington State University, 2008).
Farm Aid 2004 at White River Amphitheatre, just outside Seattle.
Lyons served as Executive Director of the Washington State Farmers Market Association from 1999-2005, and during his tenure, he served on the board of the National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs and the board of the From the Heart of Washington Campaign, Washington’s agriculture promotion campaign. He recruited Farm Aid to come to Seattle in 2004, and he served as the primary organizer and liaison for all local events surrounding that event. From 2006-2008, he was the lead organizer of Washington State University‘s Seattle event that showcased what the University is doing for Washington’s food and agriculture communities by pairing faculty with farmers with chefs. Lyons is a veteran certified barbecue judge in both the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association and the Kansas City Barbecue Society.
Eating shepherd’s pie plus two veg in Western Ireland, April 2003
Lyons spent his formative years in Upstate New York. While his love for food began at an early age, under the influences of his grandparents and numerous trips to Down East Maine, the five years he spent in the great food town of Philadelphia while earning a BA from Swarthmore College very much expanded his gastronomic experience. Lyons moved to Seattle in 1985 to help his brother, Dana, a singer/songwriter, promote his first record, “Our State Is A Dumpsite.” He has visited 49 states, Canada, Denmark, England, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, Sweden and New Jersey, and has food stories from each of them (yes, even New Jersey!).
mayoroffoodtown 
Zach, thanks for all your support and good luck in your new venture.