Monika Sudakov
School
Chapman University, University Of Nevada Las Vegas
Expertise
Culinary Education, Food History, Food Anthropology
- In 2015, Monika became a Certified Culinary Professional with the International Association of Culinary Professionals
- She was the innkeeper and chef of an award-winning bed and breakfast featuring gourmet cuisine for 18 years.
- Her master's thesis entitled "Moroccan Tea Ritual: Religion, Gender, Socio-Economics and Hospitality" was published by Lambert Academic Press in 2010.
Experience
Monika has worked in the culinary field since 2005 as a chef, cooking instructor, and cookbook author. She began her career as a writer with regular contributions to the mental health website The Mighty, in 2016. Over the years she has written on topics related to chronic illness, trauma, cooking for dietary restrictions, and hospitality. In 2022, she fused her experience as a culinary professional with her research in food and culture and her acumen as a writer by joining the team at Daily Meal.
Education
Monika has a bachelor's degree in French, a BFA in media performance, and a master's in cultural anthropology.
The 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 Monika Sudakov
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A simple way to spruce up a cheesecake recipe is to swap out one of the usual ingredients for an alternative. Here are some chef-approved ingredients to try!
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Looking to upgrade your canned tuna? Our expert has 13 ways to elevate this pantry staple into a gourmet experience, from ceviche to chowder.
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What do chefs do differently behind the scenes that makes their vegetables turn out so succulent, vibrant, and flavorful? Our resident chefs spills the beans.
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Why do mushrooms taste better in restaurants than when you prepare them at home? Our expert has the answers, and plenty of tips for better at-home mushrooms.
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The new candies come in one bag that contains three snappy varieties, each inspired by the Snapple flavors of Mango Madness, Kiwi Strawberry, and Fruit Punch.
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French toast is a classic breakfast dish, but with a few substitutions you can turn it into something absolutely decadent. Our resident chef shares her tricks.
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Not all spaghetti is made equal. Here's our ranking of which boxed spaghetti brands have the best flavor and texture, so you can choose the best one.
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If you enjoy making your own lasagna from scratch, there are some ways you can make this dish even better, with chef-approved ingredient swaps.
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Jars of store-bought marinara sauce can be a great way to whip up a quick and easy meal. Here's our ranking of which popular brands are best to buy.
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Upgrade your pancakes by using unique ingredients -- like canned artichokes or apple pie filling -- that will turn this basic breakfast into something new.
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In an effort to determine the best canned black beans, I scoured local grocery stores, seeking out the most popular varieties, as well as more niche ones.
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While Dairy Queen is known for sweet treats, the brand has steadily been expanding its savory options. Of those, the chicken strips are especially excellent.
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Nostalgia alone should make this snack a hit with those who ate the stuff from the blue box, but we had to find out first-hand if it's a revelation or a regret.
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Dairy Queen may be better known for its Blizzards, but its burgers are nothing to sneeze at. Here's why you won't want to miss its FlameThrower Stackburger.
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Opening the oven door to discover that your cake has sunk in the middle can diminish the joy of baking. Avoid this fate with guidance from a professional chef.
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Panera's new CinnaTops pair cinnamon rolls with cookies and brownies. Which CinnaTop is the best? We've ranked them to find out the answer to that question.
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Restaurants give salads more attention than you might realize. Here's some chef-approved expert advice on how to improve your homemade salad.
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Pickles are great, but in a wine? With a healthy dose of skepticism, we grabbed a can to find out if this quirky pickle-flavored cocktail is worth the hype.
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Having grown up eating Popsicle ice pops, we were excited to get our hands on these new drinks. But does this collab succeed in capturing the flavors of summer?
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While these seasonings share many similarities, there are distinctions between them that make them more or less suitable for certain types of recipes.
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These substitutes will give you that satisfying richness and dunkability that ranch has, but with a "wow" factor that won't leave you missing the staple.
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Because of watermelon's distinctive flavor profile, it works well with a variety of ingredients you might not suspect. Our chef weighs in on the absolute best.
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I obtained as many Boar's Head deli meats as I could get my hands on, and sampled them, assessing the aroma, texture, taste, and overall quality of each.
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Few breakfast recipes can compete with eggs Benedict in terms of taste or difficulty to make. Here are some big mistakes to avoid when cooking eggs Benedict.
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Here are my chef-approved trade secrets regarding ways to upgrade your next batch of homemade salad dressing and turn the salad into the highlight of your meal.
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Frozen vegetables get a bad rap for being soggy or bland, but it's all in how you prepare them. Our expert chef has some helpful tips for using frozen veggies.
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The process of baking a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is quite simple. It just requires some basic knowledge of what pitfalls to avoid when doing so.