Meet the Judges of America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation

Only one person would research and catalog the six different ways of eating corn on the cob or attend ice cream college just so he could create the ultimate at-home recipe, and that is Dan Souza, editor in chief of Cook’s Illustrated. Dan is an on-screen test cook and science expert for America’s Test Kitchen and the host of the popular YouTube series What's Eating Dan? Dan has contributed content to a dozen America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks, including the New York Times bestseller The Science of Good Cooking (2012) and Cook’s Science (2016). Dan cut his culinary teeth as an apprentice in Hungary before graduating first in his class from the Culinary Institute of America. After cooking in restaurants in New York City and Boston, however, he found his true calling: helping people make great food at home.

Few people in America have tested as many recipes as Julia Collin Davison. In her 20+ years at America’s Test Kitchen, it is estimated that Julia has sampled and tested over 20,000 recipes! While she might not be able to name each recipe she has tested, Julia is America’s most experienced cooking instructor. Julia began working as a test cook for Cook’s Illustrated in 1999 and led recipe development for America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks for more than a decade. She is currently an executive editorial director and is also an original cast member and cohost of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. Julia received an Augie Award from the Culinary Institute of America and was inducted into the prestigious Disciples d'Escoffier culinary society in 2018.

Food-styling guru Elle Simone Scott is a trailblazer who manages to make food both stunning and approachable. She shapes the visual aesthetic for the Cook’s Country brand and her work appears across ATK media platforms. Elle is an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen and is the star of a new show currently in production, Entertaining with Elle. This show, which showcases her skills as a cook, a teacher, and a stylist, will premiere in 2023. Elle provided food styling and expert advice for Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings, a bestselling, highly regarded cookbook released in April 2022. In addition to her role as an executive editor at America’s Test Kitchen, Elle also uses her platform and her organization SheChef to advocate, mentor, and inspire other women of color in the food space.

At the age of 13, Jack Bishop was already cooking dinner for his family. Today, Jack is the patriarch of America’s Test Kitchen. Jack leads the creative teams working on the company’s television shows, podcasts, videos, magazines, books, and online cooking school. Jack was part of the original team that started America’s Test Kitchen, beginning with the launch of Cook’s Illustrated in 1993. Jack directed the launch of Cook’s Country magazine in 2005 and the building of the company’s book publishing division. He is the tasting lab expert on America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. Jack is the author of several cookbooks, including Vegetables Every Day and The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook. 

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