This Is TASTE 717: From Finance to the “Fantastical Promise Land of Food Media” to Hollywood Writers' Room with Ella Quittner
Jan 19, 2026
Ella Quittner, a journalist and cookbook author known for her work with Food52, dives into the world of food testing and recipe perfection. She shares her unique journey from Wall Street to food media, detailing how she discovered the 'absolute best' recipes through methodical bench tests. Ella discusses creative techniques for fluffy pancakes and flaky biscuits, influenced by global traditions. Plus, her hilarious insights on buffets and experiences in Hollywood writers' rooms add a twist of humor and depth to her culinary adventures.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Mine Comments For High-Value Ideas
- Use audience engagement data to find story ideas that resonate and drive traffic.
- Ella launched her "Absolute Best Test" by sorting posts by comments and addressing a contentious high-engagement topic: bacon.
Reporting Enhances Test Discovery
- Ella's bench-testing blends reporting with recipe trials, sourcing techniques from cooks around the world.
- That reporting often revealed surprising, unconventional methods worth testing alongside canonical recipes.
Make Pancakes Like A Sponge Cake
- Decide the pancake qualities you want (flavor, fluff, crisp edges) before testing.
- Use sugar-stabilized whipped egg whites like a sponge-cake technique to achieve cake-like fluff and crisp edges.
