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 Today Meal.
Education
Monika has a bachelor's degree in French, a BFA in media performance, and a master's in cultural anthropology.
Today 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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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.
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The terms chicken fingers, tenders, and strips are often used synonymously, but there are some major differences between them. Here's what you need to know.
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Microwave popcorn is an easy and tasty snack, but is it actually healthy? We looked at some of the healthiest and unhealthiest bags you can find at the store.
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Cottage cheese has tons of uses, and nearly as many brands on grocery store shelves. To help you decide which to buy, we tasted and ranked several major brands.
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Crab cakes, delicious as they are, can be tricky to get just right. Our resident expert details what mistakes to watch out for when making them yourself.
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What exactly makes Hawaiian barbecue different from other types? From its history to what you'll find on your plate, here's what you need to know about it.
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To demystify the high-protein cereal selections available, I sampled some of the many options, then assessed each based on my own set of criteria.
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Canned vegetables are more useful and versatile than most people realize but they need to be prepared correctly. Here are some easy mistakes to avoid.
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Crab legs are delicious, but cooking them is easier said than done, especially if you're new to them. Here are the mistakes our resident chef warns to avoid.
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We tried and ranked all of Jose Cuervo's Ready To Drink premade margaritas so you'll know what to reach for the next time you need to party in a pinch.
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From specialty sauces and garnishes, to selecting the perfect side dishes and pairing the best wines, these tips will take your steak dinner to new levels.
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A viral packing tape hack claims to make peeling hard-boiled eggs a snap. Does it really? We've tested the trick out ourselves to find the answer.
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Many of the best comfort foods include velvety melted cheese. Here's our expert advice on which cheeses work best for melting into delicious home cooking.
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We tasted the new Chocolatey Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats to see if this marriage between a classic and a chocolate peanut butter cup is worth the hype.