Hi there! I’m Elena Arzak, a 36-year-old chef based in Los Angeles, CA, and I’m all about making delicious food without spending half the day in the kitchen. I grew up in a lively Italian-American household in New Jersey, where Sunday dinners were sacred and Nonna ruled the kitchen with a wooden spoon in one hand and a tomato in the other. I learned early on that food wasn’t just fuel—it was family, stories, laughter, and sometimes a little chaos.
But here’s the twist: I didn’t go to culinary school. Nope, I went to college for graphic design. It wasn’t until I found myself more excited about cooking dinner than designing logos that I realized my true passion. I started experimenting in my tiny apartment kitchen, trying to recreate my mom’s meatballs and my dad’s famous barbecue ribs, and posting my triumphs and flops on social media. Turns out, people love a good kitchen fail almost as much as a quick win.
What I’ve come to believe—and what I share with home cooks every day—is that you don’t need fancy tools, a million ingredients, or professional training to make great food. You just need a little curiosity, a good grocery list, and the courage to make mistakes. My style is all about big flavors, simple techniques, and meals that come together faster than a sitcom episode. Think lemon-garlic shrimp tacos, skillet chicken with herby butter, or even a five-minute microwave mug cake that tastes like heaven.
Cooking should feel like play, not pressure. I love helping people who think they “can’t cook” realize that they totally can—and probably better than they expected. My kitchen motto? “Done is better than perfect, and hot sauce fixes almost anything.”
So whether you’re wrangling kids, juggling work, or just plain hungry, I’m here to cheer you on with recipes that are fast, flavorful, and totally doable. Let’s get cooking!