About the Allrecipes Test Kitchen

Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer who has been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017. Her recipes and writing have appeared in over 10 nationally distributed print publications as well as on various digital platforms. Anna's recipes have been showcased on the covers of magazines such as Food & Wine and Southern Living. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier Birmingham chapter. She has 10 years of experience developing recipes. You can learn more about Anna on her website, www.annatheoktisto.com, or on most social platforms @annatheo. When not in the kitchen, she can be found fostering puppies and hiking with her husband, son, and two dogs.

Amanda Stanfield is the Food Studio Coordinator and Recipe Tester/ Developer at the Dotdash Meredith. She completed her undergraduate degree in journalism and strategic communications at Hampton University. After graduation, Amanda worked in the nonprofit sector as a marketing associate for a global nonprofit organization for 3 years. In 2018, she pivoted into the food industry and began training in fine-dining restaurants around Atlanta. Later she gained her culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and went on to work in a variety of kitchens from boutique restaurants to conference hotels. Her work has been featured on Eatingwell.com, Southern Living, People.com, Food & Wine, and Allrecipes.com. As a true foodie, Amanda seeks out nutritious and unique flavors to inspire others to eat happily and healthily. When she's not cooking up delicious recipes, you can find her lap swimming in the pool or watching a good sci-fi movie. She's a member of MAPP a non-profit supporting women-led food organizations. You can follow her adventures @amandaeight. Her go-to kitchen must have? A sharp chef's knife.

Amanda Holstein fell in love with baking at the age of 6, and continued growing her passion through culinary school and working in bakeries for over 10 years. Amanda Holstein has worked at multiple well-known restaurants and bakeries in the Orlando, Florida area. She recently joined the Dotdash Meredith team as a Test Kitchen Assistant. Amanda graduated from Valencia college with an A.S. in baking and pastry management as well as a B.S. in restaurant and food service management.

Callie Nash is the Test Kitchen Director at Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, AL, where she leads a team of over a dozen Recipe Tester/Developers in the production of culinary content for Dotdash Meredith’s portfolio of brands, including Southern Living, Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Eatingwell, Real Simple, and People among others. She has nearly 15 years of experience in test kitchens and food media.

Jasmine Smith is a Recipe Developer & Tester with 10+ years experience working in the culinary industry. She is a recipient of James Beard Foundation: Women in Culinary Leadership Program. You can find her work in Southern Living, Food & Wine, Health Magazine, and other publications. You can follow her cooking adventures on Instagram @jazzy_the_princess.

Julia Levy is an experienced cook with a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry. She is skilled in catering, food & beverage, event planning, and menu development. She tests and develops recipes in the DotDash Meredith Test Kitchen for Southern Living.

Elizabeth Mervosh is a recipe tester and developer for Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. She creates and fine-tunes recipes for brands including Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, People, and EatingWell.

Marianne has been writing and testing recipes in the test kitchens for Dotdash Meredith since 2016. She studied at the International Culinary Center, in New York, and the International School of Italian Cuisine, in Italy, under highly esteemed chefs and graduated in 2015.

Melissa Gray is a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith. She began working in food publishing in 2015 and joined the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens in 2019. She has developed over 1,500 original recipes and styled in over 300 photoshoots during that time.

Nicole Hopper is a recipe tester and developer located in Birmingham, Alabama.

Renu Dhar has over a decade of experience developing recipes, in more than 5 of which she has been fielding and answering the question, " what's for dinner?" and sharing her expertise and skills as a personal chef.

Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman is a recipe tester and developer for Dotdash Meredith. Thanks to her huge, ever-hungry Filipino family, Tricia has always had a passion for all things food-related, with a particular obsession with baking and pastry arts.

Sarah Brekke is a culinary professional with over 10 years of experience food media. With a background in both culinary and food sciences, she uses her skills to develop, test, and modify recipes to make them as tasty and practical as possible.

Juliana Hale is a culinary specialist with over 20 years of experience in recipe testing and development. She works closely with Allrecipes, Better Homes & Gardens, Forks Over Knives, Midwest Living, and Traditional Home both in the test kitchens and with her stories.

Emily is a recipe developer at Dotdash Meredith with a focus on food trends, and inventing new ways to bring interesting flavors to your dinner table. When not in the kitchen Emily enjoys hiking, camping and spending time with friends, although these hobbies always lead back to food being the focus.

Kathryn Hendrix is a Registered Dietitian and Culinary School Graduate. She specializes in Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, Gluten Free, and Nutrition. She has over 10 years culinary experience and has been cooking vegan her whole life.

Linda Brewer is an advocate for others to pursue their culinary interests through new cooking methods and experiencing culturally diverse foods. Her joy of hiking gives her a special interest in camp-friendly recipes for both her personal and professional cooking.