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Carissa Chesanek

Carissa Chesanek is a food and spirits writer based in Brooklyn.

My Story

Carissa's work has been seen in Zagat, Decanter, Imbibe, Food Network, Vinepair, Whisky Advocate, and Alcohol Professor. When she's not writing, she's on the hunt for the best Old Fashioned.

Articles

The Best Chef in Yosemite. How Frederick Clabaugh Is Redefining Lodge Dining

The Best Chef in Yosemite: How Frederick Clabaugh Is Redefining Lodge Dining

The Best Chef in Yosemite: How Frederick Clabaugh Is Redefining Lodge Dining

The Best Chef in Yosemite: How Frederick Clabaugh Is Redefining Lodge Dining

The Sauce That Rewrote the Rules: The History of Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

The Sauce That Rewrote the Rules: The History of Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

The Sauce That Rewrote the Rules: The History of Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

Dr. Fabio Parasecoli and Dr. Janna Tamargo chat thoughtfully at a colorful café table in Rome about Authentic Food

Dr. Fabio Parasecoli and Dr. Janna Tamargo chat thoughtfully at a colorful café table in Rome about Authentic Food

Authenticity Isn't About Food: A Conversation with Fabio Parasecoli

Two smiling men in patterned shirts pose before a neon Colonnade Restaurant sign reading Since 1927. The owners of The Colonnade AuthenticFood.com Gay Fried Chicken

Two smiling men in patterned shirts pose before a neon Colonnade Restaurant sign reading Since 1927. The owners of The Colonnade AuthenticFood.com Gay Fried Chicken

Find the Gayest Fried Chicken at Atlanta’s Second Oldest Restaurant

Grits

Grits

Everyone thinks grits are Southern. This Caribbean island is changing the narrative.

Chef Jasper Mirabile Jr. standing inside Jasper’s Italian Restaurant in Kansas City, smiling warmly, representing his family’s Sicilian cannoli tradition and decades-long culinary legacy.

Chef Jasper Mirabile Jr. standing inside Jasper’s Italian Restaurant in Kansas City, smiling warmly, representing his family’s Sicilian cannoli tradition and decades-long culinary legacy.

Why Kansas City Chef Jasper Mirabile Made Cannoli a Month-Long Celebration

Janna, founder of AuthenticFood.com and food sociologist, standing in Antarctica during research on authenticity, food culture, and dining at the edge of the world.

Janna, founder of AuthenticFood.com and food sociologist, standing in Antarctica during research on authenticity, food culture, and dining at the edge of the world.

Cooking at the Edge of the Known World: Authenticity, Food Culture, and Dining in Antarctica at White Desert

How Butter Became the Emotional and Culinary Star of the Holidays

How Butter Became the Emotional and Culinary Star of the Holidays

How Butter Became the Emotional and Culinary Star of the Holidays

Jacques Pépin on Authentic Food, Technique, and Turning 90

Jacques Pépin on Authentic Food, Technique, and Turning 90

Jacques Pépin on Authentic Food, Technique, and Turning 90

The Indigenous Restaurateur Carving Space for Suppressed Culture in Vancouver

The Indigenous Restaurateur Carving Space for Suppressed Culture in Vancouver

The Indigenous Restaurateur Carving Space for Suppressed Culture in Vancouver

Homemade holiday side dish: green bean casserole with creamy sauce and onion crunch

Homemade holiday side dish: green bean casserole with creamy sauce and onion crunch

How Green Bean Casserole Took Over the American Table, A 70-Year History

Where Thai Meets Tennessee: Arnold Myint’s Vision for International Market 2.0

Where Thai Meets Tennessee: Arnold Myint’s Vision for International Market 2.0

Where Thai Meets Tennessee: Arnold Myint’s Vision for International Market 2.0

Cosmic Crisp Apple

Cosmic Crisp Apple

The Moonshot Apple Story: Inside the Rise of Cosmic Crisp

Sweden's Pantry on Display: Inside Öland Harvest Festival

Sweden's Pantry on Display: Inside Öland Harvest Festival

Sweden's Pantry on Display: Inside Öland Harvest Festival

Medovik: The Layered Honey Cake from Eastern Europe Winning Over U.S. Bakeries

Medovik: The Layered Honey Cake from Eastern Europe Winning Over U.S. Bakeries

Medovik: The Layered Honey Cake from Eastern Europe Winning Over U.S. Bakeries

Street Food with a Story: The Cultural Legacy of Hong Kong Fish Balls

Street Food with a Story: The Cultural Legacy of Hong Kong Fish Balls

Street Food with a Story: The Cultural Legacy of Hong Kong Fish Balls

Trap to Table: Generations of Tradition in Maine Lobstering

Trap to Table: Generations of Tradition in Maine Lobstering

Trap to Table: Generations of Tradition in Maine Lobstering

Introducing The Authentic Table: A New Kind of Dinner Series

Introducing The Authentic Table: A New Kind of Dinner Series

Introducing The Authentic Table: A New Kind of Dinner Series

Bold Flavors and Family Tradition: The Story Behind Maazah

Bold Flavors and Family Tradition: The Story Behind Maazah

Bold Flavors and Family Tradition: The Story Behind Maazah

Mastering More Than Pasta at the Roman Table with Romina Sukunda

Mastering More Than Pasta at the Roman Table with Romina Sukunda

Mastering More Than Pasta at the Roman Table with Romina Sukunda

Garden apthway into Al fresco restaurant in Los Angeles

Garden apthway into Al fresco restaurant in Los Angeles

Al Fresco in the City: A Culinary Garden Grows on the Sunset Strip

San Diego loves ice cream. According to AI-powered consumer insight platform Tastewise, San Diego has the highest concentration of ice cream establishments per capita

San Diego loves ice cream. According to AI-powered consumer insight platform Tastewise, San Diego has the highest concentration of ice cream establishments per capita

Is San Diego the Ice Cream (and Gelato) Capital of America?

Camas, Our Grandmother: A Story of Return and Resilience this Fourth of July

Camas, Our Grandmother: A Story of Return and Resilience this Fourth of July

Camas, Our Grandmother: A Story of Return and Resilience this Fourth of July

Bush Dining, Reimagined: Gluten-Free, Zero-Waste, and Plant-Forward Cuisine in the Heart of Botswana

Bush Dining, Reimagined: Gluten-Free, Zero-Waste, and Plant-Forward Cuisine in the Heart of Botswana

Bush Dining, Reimagined: Gluten-Free, Zero-Waste, and Plant-Forward Cuisine in the Heart of Botswana

Chef Kenny Gilbert on Southern Roots, Global Flavors, and Building Culinary Legacy

Chef Kenny Gilbert on Southern Roots, Global Flavors, and Building Culinary Legacy

Chef Kenny Gilbert on Southern Roots, Global Flavors, and Building Culinary Legacy

A Taste of Authenticity: Discovering Lussmanns Sustainable Kitchen in Woburn

A Taste of Authenticity: Discovering Lussmanns Sustainable Kitchen in Woburn

A Taste of Authenticity: Discovering Lussmanns Sustainable Kitchen in Woburn

El Moro: How a Churro Shop Became Part of Mexico City’s Cultural Fabric

El Moro: How a Churro Shop Became Part of Mexico City’s Cultural Fabric

El Moro: How a Churro Shop Became Part of Mexico City’s Cultural Fabric

The Taste of Mendocino: Elk’s Harbor House & Greenwood Restaurant

The Taste of Mendocino: Elk’s Harbor House & Greenwood Restaurant

The Taste of Mendocino: Elk’s Harbor House & Greenwood Restaurant

Blueberries & the Taste of Summer

Blueberries & the Taste of Summer

Blueberries & the Taste of Summer: U-Pick Farms, Fun Facts, and a Juicy History

The Pico Princess: How a Mom’s Love-Fueled Pico de Gallo Became a Local Sensation

The Pico Princess: How a Mom’s Love-Fueled Pico de Gallo Became a Local Sensation

The Pico Princess: How a Mom’s Love-Fueled Pico de Gallo Became a Local Sensation

What Are Ramps? The Wild Spring Green Chefs and Foragers Adore

What Are Ramps? The Wild Spring Green Chefs and Foragers Adore

What Are Ramps? The Wild Spring Green Chefs and Foragers Adore

Before Top Chef Season 22 premiered, I met up with Lana at Union Square Greenmarket in New York City to talk food, authenticity, and the importance of real research.

Before Top Chef Season 22 premiered, I met up with Lana at Union Square Greenmarket in New York City to talk food, authenticity, and the importance of real research.

Lana’s Way: How One Top Chef Contestant Is Reclaiming Black Food Stories, One Pop-Up at a Time

A Sicilian Dove and a Table of My Own: Fiasconaro Colomba and Easter Traditions

A Sicilian Dove and a Table of My Own: Fiasconaro Colomba and Easter Traditions

A Sicilian Dove and a Table of My Own: Fiasconaro Colomba and Easter Traditions

traveling pop-up shop, founded by Nicole Compen, is a carefully curated haven for emerging food, drink, wellness, and beauty brands.

traveling pop-up shop, founded by Nicole Compen, is a carefully curated haven for emerging food, drink, wellness, and beauty brands.

Pop-Up Revolution: How Raye The Store Curates the Future of Food

In Search of the Perfect Dumpling: What is a dumpling?

In Search of the Perfect Dumpling: What is a dumpling?

In Search of the Perfect Dumpling: What is a dumpling?

Strawberries, Reinvented: Florida’s Pineberries vs. Japan’s High-Tech Berries

Strawberries, Reinvented: Florida’s Pineberries vs. Japan’s High-Tech Berries

Strawberries, Reinvented: Florida’s Pineberries vs. Japan’s High-Tech Berries

Guerrerense Cuisine Steps Into the Light

Guerrerense Cuisine Steps Into the Light

Guerrerense Cuisine Steps Into the Light

The Truth About Honey: What I Learned as an Honorary Beekeeper

The Truth About Honey: What I Learned as an Honorary Beekeeper

The Truth About Honey: What I Learned as an Honorary Beekeeper

Authenticity in Bloom: Loria Stern’s Floral Revolution in Food

Authenticity in Bloom: Loria Stern’s Floral Revolution in Food

Authenticity in Bloom: Loria Stern’s Floral Revolution in Food

Omakasa in Brooklyn New York

Omakasa in Brooklyn New York

Hidden Away in NYC’s Dumbo, Kinjo is Quietly Redefining the Omakase Tradition

The Real Love Story: Sourdough

The Real Love Story: Sourdough

The Real Love Story: Sourdough

The Lost Italian Art of Lambrusco in a Bowl

The Lost Italian Art of Lambrusco in a Bowl

The Lost Italian Art of Lambrusco in a Bowl

Kyoto’s Hidden Culinary Treasure: A Mother-Daughter Team Bringing Obanzai to Life

Kyoto’s Hidden Culinary Treasure: A Mother-Daughter Team Bringing Obanzai to Life

Kyoto’s Hidden Culinary Treasure: A Mother-Daughter Team Bringing Obanzai to Life

Cooking for the Departed: Exploring the Singular Authenticity of Helva

Cooking for the Departed: Exploring the Singular Authenticity of Helva

Cooking for the Departed: Exploring the Singular Authenticity of Helva

The World’s Only Sorbian Restaurant Is a Cultural Gateway

The World’s Only Sorbian Restaurant Is a Cultural Gateway

The World’s Only Sorbian Restaurant Is a Cultural Gateway

Turkey 101 and My Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Tradition

Turkey 101 and My Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Tradition

Turkey 101 and My Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Tradition

Exploring Baklava's Layers of Tradition and Taste: An Interview with Dr. Osman Güldemir on the Authenticity of Turkey’s Iconic Dessert

Exploring Baklava's Layers of Tradition and Taste: An Interview with Dr. Osman Güldemir on the Authenticity of Turkey’s Iconic Dessert

Exploring Baklava's Layers of Tradition and Taste: An Interview with Dr. Osman Güldemir on the Authenticity of Turkey’s Iconic Dessert

An Emilian Adventure in Food: The Boiled Meat of Arnaldo

An Emilian Adventure in Food: The Boiled Meat of Arnaldo

An Emilian Adventure in Food: The Boiled Meat of Arnaldo

Barbunya Pilaki – The Indubitable Queen of All Mezzes

Barbunya Pilaki – The Indubitable Queen of All Mezzes

Barbunya Pilaki – The Indubitable Queen of All Mezzes

Authenticity with Asma Khan at Darjeeling Express: A Reflection of Home and Heritage

Authenticity with Asma Khan at Darjeeling Express: A Reflection of Home and Heritage

Authenticity with Asma Khan at Darjeeling Express: A Reflection of Home and Heritage

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