Michael Palan

With Us Since
2021
Photo of Michael Palan
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Location
New York, NY
School
Indiana University
Expertise
Food History, Fountain Drinks, Anything Fried
  • Michael has visited the test kitchens of KFC, Chili's, Moe's, and McAllister's, broken bread and spoken with such chefs as Dominique Ansel, Kardea Brown, and Shaun Hergatt, as well as Larry Lavine, the founder of Chili's. He has also munched his way through every flavor of Utz potato chips, Pop Tarts, Cadbury chocolate bars, and Girl Scout cookies to rank their greatness for all to enjoy.
  • He once won a White Castle eating contest, and another time celebrated Valentine's Day at that fine dining establishment (that relationship didn't last). He also is never not hungry.
  • In August 2025, Michael was named Static Media writer of the month.

Experience

Bio
Michael was born weighing 10 pounds and thus has been a lover of eating since birth. His amazing cook of a mother always indulged him, making many traditional favorites like noodle kugel and squash soufflé, as well as insuring he won the school auction to have a McDonald's lunch with his teachers. He also enjoys dining out at greasy spoon and fine dining establishments with a bit of history. While he was a former Sandwich Artist at Subway, he chose to channel his talents into the arts of film, video, photography, and writing. For the past 25 years, he has worked on Academy Award winning films, Emmy Award winning television shows, had photographs published by New York Magazine, and has written for Tasting Table, Decider, The Takeout, Looper, Mashed, Explore, Chowhound, Food Republic, and The Daily Meal. He also is an unofficial brand ambassador for Popeyes Fried Chicken.

Education

Michael has a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from Indiana University Bloomington.

Daily Meal Editorial Policies

Daily Meal’s content comes from an authoritative editorial staff that is dedicated to current and comprehensive coverage. With an aim to provide only informative and engaging content, our writers, editors, and experts take care to craft clear and concise copy on all things food-related, from news in the food service industry to in-depth explainers about what’s found in readers’ refrigerators, original recipes from experienced chefs, and more.

Our team also regularly reviews and updates articles as necessary to ensure they are accurate. For more information on our editorial process, view our full policies page.

Stories By Michael Palan

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