About

What You’ll Find Here

Kitchen-Tested Recipes for Real Life
Hundreds of rigorously tested dishes—from weeknight dinners to celebration-worthy desserts. Each recipe is thoroughly tested in a home kitchen with standard equipment to ensure reliable results.

Expert Cooking and Baking Guidance
Professional techniques made approachable, drawing on Lisa’s Culinary Institute of America training and years as a pastry chef in NYC bakeries.

Thoughtful Food Features
Food travel guides, interviews with women in food, gift guides for food lovers, and The Food + Grief Project exploring the intersection of food, memory, and loss.

Our Recipe Testing Process

Every recipe on Unpeeled follows a rigorous protocol:

• Developed using professional culinary knowledge and research
• Rigorously in a home kitchen with standard equipment
• Refined based on results and clarity
• Documented with precise measurements and tested cooking times
• Updated based on reader feedback when needed

This ensures that when you follow an Unpeeled recipe, you can trust the results.

Why Trust Unpeeled Journal?

Professional Training: CIA degree and professional pastry experience provide classical technique foundation
Real-World Testing: Every recipe tested in a home kitchen with standard equipment
Proven Track Record: Decade of contributions to respected food publications
Industry Recognition: IACP Award and professional culinary memberships
Transparent Process: Open about methodology, sources, and updates

Our Editorial Standards

• All recipes thoroughly tested before publication
• Clear source attribution when recipes are adapted
• Prompt updates and corrections when needed
• Transparency about original vs. adapted recipes
• No sponsored recipe development

Lisa is the founder and creator behind Unpeeled Journal. Her unique path—from lawyer to pastry chef to food writer—brings precision, creativity, and storytelling to everything she creates.

Professional Training & Experience

Culinary and General Education:

• Graduate, Baking & Pastry Arts, Culinary Institute of America (class valedictorian). Trained in classical French pastry, bread baking, chocolate work, and cake decorating.
• Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 Award Certification in Wine, With Honors
• J.D., Temple University Beasley School of Law (Published Staff Member, Temple Law Review)
• B.A., English Literature, Wake Forest University

Professional Pastry Chef:
Worked in New York City’s top bakeries crafting wedding cakes, high-volume pastries, and developing new menu items.

Food Writing (10+ years):
Contributor: Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Food52, Saveur, Taste, Eater, Washingtonian, and The Washington Post. Judge, IACP Cookbook Awards.

Awards & Recognition

• International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award Winner – Best Individual Food Blog (2022)
• IACP Judge, Cookbook Awards (2023)
• Guest, James Beard Award-Winning Episode on Food + Grief – BBC World Service (Food + Grief)
• Member, International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP)
• Member, Les Dames d’Escoffier International
• Two-Time Food Writing Speaker: M.F.K. Fisher Symposium
• Featured Speaker on Food + Grief: IACP Talks
• Featured Speaker on Food + Grief: Soaring Spirits International (newly-widowed program and 2026 national convention)

Background Before Food

Before culinary school, Lisa worked as a U.S. Senate staffer and Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx County D.A.’s Office. This analytical background informs her precise approach to recipe development and instruction.

Food + Grief: A Personal Mission

Lisa’s experience with grief—widowed as a newlywed in her early 30s—led to The Food + Grief Project. Featured on BBC World Service, Modern Loss, and The Washington Post, this work explores how food, memory, and loss intersect, providing resources and community for those navigating grief through the lens of food.

Food Writing + Recipe Development

Lisa’s food, recipe, and lifestyle writing has been featured in national publications including Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit, Food52, Saveur, Taste, Eater, Washingtonian, Washington Post, and more.

You can also find her on her weekly Substack newsletter!

Unpeeled Journal is where Lisa’s love of food, cooking and baking know-how, and goal of building a warm community of fellow food lovers comes together. Enjoy, and reach out any time!

The Cooking Philosophy

At Unpeeled, we believe:

• Technique matters, but so does flexibility; understanding the “why”s of cooking and baking empowers you to adapt
• Elevated doesn’t mean complicated—sophisticated flavors are accessible to home cooks
• Food connects us through shared meals, traditions, and comfort during hard times
• Real kitchens, real results. We test with grocery store ingredients and solve for home cooking constraints
• Confidence comes from knowledge. The more you understand, the more creative you become

Unpeeled Journal is where professional culinary expertise meets real home cooking. Whether you’re looking for a reliable weeknight dinner, want to master a new technique, or simply love reading about food, we’re glad you’re here.

Dig in, confidently and joyfully.

Connect With Unpeeled

• Newsletter: Subscribe on Substack for weekly recipes and stories
• Social: Follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook
• Contact: Get in touch with questions or media inquiries