About

I’m a cookbook author and food writer, and the senior digital food editor of Food & Wine. I got here after earning degrees in journalism (Loyola University Chicago) and culinary arts (The Culinary Institute of America), and sipping and studying my way to pass the certificate level of the Court of Master Sommelier exam. I spent years ping-ponging between writing, cooking, serving and bartending, and in the process, has cooked and eaten some incredible food, and split a lot of tea on my laptop. 

I’m a member of IACP, Les Dames d’Escoffier, the Southern Foodways Alliance and the James Beard Foundation Journalism Award committee, and have won multiple awards for my writing and editing work including a James Beard nomination, an IACP nomination, several Jesse H. Neal awards and Folio awards, an Association of Food Journalists award, and the McAllister Editorial Fellowship. In addition to the books I’ve written, I was the Great Lakes editor for Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery and a contributor to Women on Food and The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. I live in Chicago with my husband, Jay, and two incredibly perfect cats.