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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Aldi is many people's firm favorite grocery store, and among its many offerings is a wide selection of pasta sauces. Here's our review and ranking of them.
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We sampled every Costco store-brand olive oil to determine which one reigns supreme. After slurping and swishing them across our palates, here are the results.
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When you're looking for fancy foods, Walmart may not be the first store you think of, but they have an impressive selection. Here are a few of their best!
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There are lots of barbecue sauces out there, including a few that you may not have tried. Here's our selection of the best underrated ones available.
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When it comes to adding sweet-yet-sour flavor to a dish, cranberries and lingonberries are the way to go. Here's some of the differences between these fruits.
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To determine if this bird lived up to all its hype, I tested one out. Find out if this bodacious bird is a Thanksgiving shortcut that is worth the investment.
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Want to mix things up and bake a sweet potato pie instead of a pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving? It's a great idea, just be aware of these common mistakes.
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From the perfect turkey to delicious sides to desserts and drinks, these are the best Aldi products that will make for a perfect feast this Thanksgiving.
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Though the pork loin and pork tenderloin hail from similar parts of the pig, they couldn't be more different in terms of texture, flavor, and quality.
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While some steaks at Costco are must-haves due to their price or cut, others can be tricky or even dangerous to cook at home. Our resident chef weighs in.
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When making apple pies, canned filling is an easy shortcut, but faster doesn't need to mean bland. Here are some easy tricks for delicious pies.
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From beverages and sweet treats to snacks and condiments, the options for Advent calendars are endless. Here are some of the tastiest for foodies this year.
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From the type of beans to use, to whether or not they should be soaked, we'll help you demystify these luscious legumes so your next batch is a star.
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We sampled a variety of store-bought apple ciders to determine which ones are worth including in your family traditions and which ones are better to skip.
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If plain peanut butter sounds boring, you’re in luck, as there are numerous flavored varieties available now. We tried 18 of them to give you the full scoop.
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From storage to reheating to using Thanksgiving leftovers creatively, here's what you need to know to stay safe and well-fed for days after the big meal.
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Using boxed stuffing this Thanksgiving will be less stressful than making it from scratch, but you can still give it a homemade feel with these tricks.
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From its healthy selection of USDA prime beef to its vast meat department, this chain excels at providing quality and value. That said, there are some caveats.
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Our resident chef marinated hard-boiled eggs in beet juice, olive brine, and more to see how they taste. The results were nothing short of delicious.
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Jimmy John's has released their brand new Smoked Cheddar Bourbon Club sandwich -- it's loaded with yummy ingredients, but things can get a bit messy!
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This air fryer not only uses infrared technology to speed up the cooking process, it has seven cooking programs. We tested them all and here are the results.
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We took one for the team and tasted a variety of chocolate desserts from Costco to find out which one is the best of the best. Did your favorite make the list?
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To start the day with a breakfast sandwich, you can pick one up from Starbucks or buy frozen ones from Costco. We reviewed both of these, to see which is best.
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Want to wow your holiday guests with a flawless pumpkin pie? Our experienced expert has 14 tips for achieving spicy, sweet, pumpkin-y perfection.
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Coconut water has a naturally nutty and slightly sweet taste that lends itself to many culinary uses, including breakfast and dinner dishes and cocktails.
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The skyrocketing price of chocolate is an effect of troubles in the cocoa industry. Here's why this happened and how it affects you and the candies you love.
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From the inclusion of atypical ingredients to the use of interesting methods, we sought out and baked recipes that differ from the classic to find the best one.