Cecily Layzell

After obtaining a degree from the University of London, I qualified as a journalist and have been writing for a living since 2005. I have spent several years writing communications and marketing copy for large multi-nationals but my real passions are food and travel - and in my opinion the two go very much hand-in-hand.

Since I moved to Amsterdam in 2003, I have eaten my way around tens of restaurants and cafes all over the Netherlands, and written about Dutch food for Amsterdam Weekly, Fisher's Travel SOS and Time Out Amsterdam magazine.

In an effort to counter some of the misconceptions about Dutch food - predominantly that it is boring and stodgy - and to introduce this cuisine to a wider, non-Dutch-speaking audience, I launched and maintain the website Eat Dutch.

I have also traveled extensively through Europe and Africa and regularly contribute to Suite101's Mediterranean and Moroccan food sections.

My love of travel means I am always planning my next trip, preferably to somewhere I have never been before. I have relied on guidebooks throughout the years, some of which have been more useful than others, and now write travel book reviews to help others select the best guide for them. I have also recently started to put my knowledge of the Netherlands to use by writing travel articles myself. Recent commissions include the 2008 Time Out Amsterdam city guide and a piece on the Pilgrim Museum in Leiden for Conde Nast's World of Interiors.