Location
Chicago, Illinois
School
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Expertise
Baking, Cake Decoration, TikTok Trends/Recipes
- Julia is an amateur baker who is always crafting in the kitchen. She makes custom specialty cakes and especially enjoys the decorative aspect/aesthetics of baking.
- While her interest in baking (and cooking) stems from childhood, she got real-life experience by working in a cafe in college. Here she learned the basics of working in a kitchen, making pastries, crafting coffee, and doing so, so many dishes.
- Her favorite dish to prepare is actually a dish that requires no cooking at all: a charcuterie board. Julia loves experimenting with different types of cheese and wine pairings, and unsurprisingly, she particularly enjoys designing the boards to look just as good as they taste.
Experience
Julia has been a professional writer and content creator since graduating from college in 2019. Her first foray into the field was through ghostwriting, in which she wrote mental health-focused blogs. Wanting to hone in on her pop culture chops, Julia began contributing at POPSUGAR, publishing essays, food reviews, and recipes. She realized that she thrives at the intersection of pop culture and food and thoroughly enjoys writing about both topics. Nowadays, you can find her testing the latest trendy TikTok recipe in her kitchen, decorating ornate, heart-shaped cakes (they're just more fun when they're heart-shaped), or enjoying Chicago's diverse and never-ending culinary scene.
Education
Julia has a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in anthropology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Tasting Table’s editorial coverage hails from a veteran group of writers and editors with expertise in their respective fields in the food and drink, hospitality, and agriculture industries. Outside experts are also consulted to help deliver factual, up-to-date information and original recipes.
We strive to publish knowledgeable, engaging articles to give readers the information they're looking for, whether that is the news of the day; cooking tips, tricks, and trends; or reviews and recommendations. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our team is constantly reviewing and updating articles as necessary. Click here for more information on our editorial process.
-
Just in time for the autumn, Sam Adams is releasing two new fall-themed beers in 2026. Read our review of its new non-alcoholic Oktoberfest and Apple Spice Ale.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Cooking Tips
By Julia Duda
Hot dogs are versatile enough to work well with a wide range of toppings, but which one's the best? Here's how we ranked 15 common hot dog toppings.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Caesar sauce has arrived at McDonald's. We tried it, and the three new menu items that put it center stage, to see if they were worth ordering.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
We bought vodkas from Costco and Trader Joe's and put them to a taste test, based on qualities like smoothness and mouthfeel. Which one is the winner?
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
After trying every jarred pasta sauce option we could find at Aldi, we now have our new favorites, and we know which pasta sauces you should skip.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Check out these delicious recipes for non-alcoholic frozen drinks that everybody, regardless of age, can enjoy at your Fourth of July party.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Coco5's coconut water-based drinks are an interesting alternative to conventional hydration drinks, but do its flavors actually deliver? Here's our verdict.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
In this taste test we focused on Aldi's Specially Selected brand and its various bread products to create a trustworthy list of breads you should get or skip.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
A-Sha has teamed up with celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern to launch a series of Target-exclusive noodles and a chili crisp, but do these items live up to the hype?
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Not every chocolate dessert at Costco deserves precious freezer or pantry space. Some are worth stocking up on, while others disappoint bite after bite.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the wide variety of dip options at Costco, consider checking out this guide to learn which dips to buy and which to skip.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Shopping Tips
By Julia Duda
If you're having a tough time deciding on which Blue Bunny ice cream variety to buy, we've got you covered -- here's how we rank eight of these flavors.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
There are plenty of variations of barbecue sauce on the market, so we tested out 10 from Kinder's brand to find the best and worst.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Liquid Death produces various sparkling water soda flavors reminiscent of sodas we all know and love. We tested eight options and found a favorite among them.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Aldi's aisles are chock-full of international foods, including a wide offer of Mexican foods to try. Is your favorite a buy or a skip? Read our review here.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Pork Recipes
By Julia Duda
Pork is delectable no matter the cut, and if you're looking to expand your pork grilling game, this batch of recipes brings the flame-cooked flavor.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Known for their thick, rounded appearance, Levain cookies are a great and convenient store-bought option. Here's how I ranked eight of its cookie flavors.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Perhaps you've seen a random Snickers flavor or two at the store and wondered if they were any good. We tested seven to see if anything beats the original.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Starbursts are one of America's favorite candies, which means everyone has their own favorite flavor. Here's how we feel about 10 of the most popular flavors.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
If you think Funfetti is the ultimate celebration cake, but you still can't be bothered to make it from scratch, we know which Funfetti cake mix you should get.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Trader Joe's
By Julia Duda
Spreadable cream cheese can make life easier, so we tested out a handful of options from Trader Joe's to figure out the one to stock in your fridge.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Culver's is a fast-food chain offering more than just ButterBurgers and fries. We tried 11 of its side options and ranked them from worst to best.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
With so many Good & Gather salsa options to choose from at Target, which one is the best? Here's our ranking of the brand's 12 jarred salsas.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
If you've ever wondered which Wendy's chicken sandwich is the best of the bunch, we tested them all out to get a definitive answer.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
We tested out five Girl Scout cookie dupes to see if any of them are a fair match. You might be surprised by what we end up finding and liking.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
Target's Good & Gather private-label brand offers a wide range of salad kits, which we've all taste-tested and ranked from least to most impressive.
By Julia Duda
Read More
-
We tested out a range of Favorite Day bakery goods from Target to find out which ones are worth purchasing and which options to leave on the shelf.
By Julia Duda
Read More