Melissa Johnson

Whether it was baking cookies with her mom or helping her dad in the backyard with the grill, Melissa Johnson always found a way to be around when someone was cooking. Her love of food followed her to college, where she was much more interested in spending time in the dorm kitchen than studying. After a transformative dinner party with an English professor hosting, Melissa realized that she could combine her love of food with her writing major. She began reviewing restaurants and recipes on a blog, and doing more research into food history.

Having realized what she wanted to do with her life, Melissa traveled the food capitals of the world once she graduated. She took classes, tasted as much good food as possible, and wrote. While in France, she met a fellow foodie. He followed her back to Illinois, and one year later, they got married. Together, they have two cats, two electric smokers, and about one hundred cookbooks.

When she isn’t working, Melissa loves being active both indoors and out. She’s a jammer in her local roller derby (where she goes by “Melly Machete”) and every year runs a half-marathon, usually in a city with some food she wants to try. Melissa’s “favorite things” include Julia Child’s French onion soup, chocolate mousse, and fresh strawberries right from the patch.