TATIANA PRAET, Ph.D.

by danikka | Dec 2, 2025

I grew up in Belgium and now call the Bay Area home, a perspective that has shaped how I engage with food, culture, and creativity. I’m a devoted sampler—tapas over entrées—drawn to exploring multiple ideas rather than committing to a single point of view. Outside of...

UMAIMA MERCHANT

by danikka | Jun 9, 2025

That photo captures just about all the great loves of my life—food, travel, language, history, context… and of course, the husband. 😊 It was taken at Çiya Sofrası in Istanbul, a magical little restaurant run by the legendary Musa Dağdeviren. He’s one of Turkey’s most...

KATHERINE WALKER

by danikka | Mar 26, 2025

LOUIS ANTOINE

by danikka | Oct 7, 2024

TONY ALBANESE

by danikka | Apr 29, 2024

As native of the Chicago area, I was raised on a melange of culinary influences including southern Italian from my paternal influence, central European on his mom’s side, and Ukrainian cuisine courtesy of my stepfather. Over the course of my career, I have honed my...