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.
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
We tasted the new flavors -- Huckleberry Cobbler, Spiced Mango Sorbet, and Lemon Italian Ice -- and one in particular really whisked us away to summer vacay.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
Many people question the quality, freshness, and nutritional value of frozen vegetables. It’s time to set things straight and debunk these common myths.
By Monika Sudakov
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Grocery
By Monika Sudakov
StarKist and Great Value both offer an array of canned and pouched tuna products. When it comes to 1:1 comparisons of taste and texture, which brand wins?
By Monika Sudakov
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Grocery
By Monika Sudakov
In the event that purchasing Canadian maple syrup becomes prohibitively expensive, here are the best brands you should stock up on before the tariffs hit.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
Mediterranean cuisine is both healthy and delicious, and it's full of ingredients that can turn an average breakfast into something truly delightful.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
Read on to discover why green beans always taste better at a restaurant and how you can capture some of that gourmet magic yourself the next time you make them.
By Monika Sudakov
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Grocery
By Monika Sudakov
We tried a variety of frozen fish and shrimp dishes from Costco and there is one we will absolutely be putting in our grocery cart from now on.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
A grilled cheese is a quick and easy comfort food, but with a little extra effort, there are some surprising ways to vastly improve on this classic.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
Professional chefs and amateur cooks alike usually keep a selection of spices, and while they have a long shelf life, all spices expire eventually.
By Monika Sudakov
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Grocery
By Monika Sudakov
For this Aldi deli meat investigation, I bought several different varieties, and sampled my way through them to determine which you should and shouldn't buy.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
From meats and veggies to salads and even desserts, everything bagel seasoning can level up the flavor and complexity of even the simplest recipes.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
There are many types of steak, and how to prepare them varies from cut to cut. Here's our expert guide on which to marinate and which not to.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
There are a handful of condiments that, in my professional opinion, while perfectly well-suited for other recipes, have no place on a salad.
By Monika Sudakov
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Though there are many mistakes people make when tenderizing meat, it's an especially common error to not know that you can use canned foods and drinks to do so.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
We all want our mashed potatoes to be rich, creamy, and, above all, fluffy. From buttermilk to mayonnaise, try adding these ingredients for extra airy mashers.
By Monika Sudakov
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Culture
By Monika Sudakov
Japanese barbecue sauce has a distinctive flavor, and is quite different to its American counterpart. Here's all you need to know about using it.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
For more fruit in your diet, Trü Frü have a selection of chocolate-covered frozen and dried fruit to snack on. Here's our ranking of the best flavors.
By Monika Sudakov
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Grocery
By Monika Sudakov
There are a variety of exciting new frozen desserts hitting the store shelves in 2025. Here are all the delicious new frozen treats to look out for.
By Monika Sudakov
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Grocery
By Monika Sudakov
Aldi's Fremont Fish Market brand offers a variety of quick and easy pre-cooked frozen seafood. Here's our review and ranking of a few of the best.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
Coca-Cola's catalog of creative and innovative beverages is about to expand with the launch of a new flavor. We took a sip to see if it's worth the hype.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
From knowing what kind of noodles work best to the ideal melting cheeses and add-ins, here's all the tricks chefs use to elevate their bowl of mac and cheese.
By Monika Sudakov
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Grocery
By Monika Sudakov
Satisfy your Super Bowl guests and cut back on cooking time by stocking up on these football-friendly foods at Aldis, from crab cakes to pilsners.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
Peeps is hopping into springtime with a slew of new flavor creations. From Cinnamon Churro to Tropical Punch, we tried them all and here's what we think.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
Professional chefs use a variety of tricks to make the best restaurant coleslaw possible. Here are a few chef-approved expert tips to use at home.
By Monika Sudakov
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Kitchen
By Monika Sudakov
This underrated barbecue sauce frequently features on "best of" lists but isn't a mainstream staple in grocery stores. We tried to see if it's worth buying!
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
This barbecue sauce has garnered thousands of five-star reviews, so we decided to find out what all the buzz is about and if it actually lives up to the hype.
By Monika Sudakov
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Exclusives
By Monika Sudakov
A popular Japanese barbecue brand is back on shelves and we couldn't be happier, since it works in everything from chicken to banana bread. Yes, really!
By Monika Sudakov
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