Seven and a half years ago, Ragh Singh, academic and career advisor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, came to the United States from India as an International student to get an M.S. in communications from the University of Central Missouri. As an immigrant, he wanted to learn as much about the American culture as possible. To do this, he began to explore and understand the culture of food.

Singh in China Town in San Francisco, or “a true foodie’s paradise.”

He connected his passion for writing to his new-found passion for food, and joined the “foodie” phenomenon. Blogging about different types of food and showing the art, craft and scenes from the background became a hobby for Singh.

After graduating with an M.A. in communications, Singh joined State Fair Community College as an academic advisor. In June 2013, Singh joined the CAFNR team as an academic and career advisor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

He began exploring and learning about places to eat in Columbia. Traveling around and tweeting from his Twitter account, @uneditedfoodie, gained the attention of Inside Columbia magazine. The magazine does a food truck collaboration, showcasing what types of food trucks are in Columbia and where they will be. Singh, a big fan of visiting the trucks, tweeting and blogging about the experience, was asked to blog for Inside Columbia as part of the “The Inside Dish.”

Social media has become such an important part of the foodie craze, and Singh is glad he joined Twitter when he did.

When asked how he decides where to go next, Singh explained the “foodie network.”

“People talk about places to eat, and that is where I go,” Singh said. “There is a network of food lovers like me, and word of mouth is the biggest advertisement for each other. It is important to remember to always try everything new or interesting.”

The diversity of types of food is one of Singh’s favorite things about the United States.

“You can eat all types of excellent food,” Singh said. “You can get amazing Italian food one day, Chinese the next. The chefs in this country are fascinating.”

Singh’s favorite type of food is French. He enjoys everything about it, including the sophistication, style, craft, art, presentation — and the crusty bread.

For fine dining in Columbia, Singh prefers The Wine Cellar and Bistro or Sycamore. If you are interested in something more casual, he suggests the Uprise Bakery, located inside Ragtag Cinema, or the Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co. truck.

Visit Singh’s blog or follow him on Twitter to stay up-to-date with Columbia’s best eats!