Troy is a San Diego-based writer and TV host. He attended Chico State University, graduating with a degree in Speech Communications and a minor in poetry. That earned him the western regional award of "Most Unemployable College Graduate" in 1997.
Professionally, he's a former rock critic-turned-food writer. His music-writing career was semi-successful. He was the music editor of CityBeat (2002-2007) and wrote bits and pieces for Rolling Stone, Spin, Mojo, Paper and Paste (along with Surfer mag). He also hosted and wrote an indie-rock TV show in San Diego called "Fox Rox" (2001-2007). The name of that show was forced upon him by tragic rhyming Americans. It did win two regional Emmys, however. And provided a live, in-studio outlet for Troy's favorite bands, including TV on the Radio, Blonde Redhead, The Fiery Furnaces, M. Ward, Calexico, Peaches, Low, The Buzzcocks, Badly Drawn Boy (aka "Badly Drawn Boy"), Drive-By Truckers, The Hold Steady and many more (plus the first-ever TV performance by Maroon 5).
Troy also hosted a short-lived TV show, for the San Diego Padres, called "Outta Left Field" (2006-2007). It was alternately "awkward", "killer" and "just kinda there". In 2007, he switched to writing about food for Modern Luxury Media's "Riviera" magazine, under the tutelage of James Beard award-winner, Brad Johnson. He thought food writing was narcoleptic purple prose written by cardigan jockeys who care about proper stemware. But he fell in love with it, and studied it like a kid hopped up on Adderall. He won some awards. In 2008, Arcade Publishing released his comedic memoir about growing up with a gay parent before it was cool to do so. ("Family Outing"). Again, that title was forced upon him. He lobbied for "Son of a Butch". Food Network tapped him to host, write and narrate a new travelogue series called Crave (2011). He likes the title. It premieres August 29, 2011.
Troy currently lives in San Diego, where he's responsible for approximately 1 percent of the city's napkin usage. He's often spotted surfing Black's Beach, one of America's best surf breaks and notorious hangout of naked old men.
