Kristin Stangl

Prior to joining the Spruce Eats, Kristin had been a food stylist in New York City for over five years, making food and beverages beautiful for photo and video shoots in both the editorial and commercial sectors. She also worked as a freelance recipe developer and tester for a variety of editorial publications.

While not professionally trained, Kristin has spent over 35 years cooking and (over) eating thanks to growing up in a family of food lovers and food professionals and working in the industry as BOH throughout college and law school.

While her twenties were spent as a trial attorney, she found her way out of the courtroom and permanently back to the kitchen after a move to New York City in 2013. There, she trained with chefs in restaurants and catering, and apprenticed with a food photographer and food stylists to learn more about the intersection of food, art, and media. 

Kristin received a BA in Philosophy and Economics from Bucknell University, a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School, and—for good measure—a Masters Degree in Mathematics Education from St. John's University. She can scale any recipe to mathematical precision, then read a contract and some Kafka while she waits for the braise to finish.

5 Questions With Kristin

What food or drink are you?

Affogato -- it's this beautiful contrast of sweet gelato and bitter espresso and it morphs as the hot espresso works its magic on the cold gelato. I like to think of myself as full of contrasts and ever-evolving over time.

What food trend would you like to forget?

Pumpkin spice everything...please get out of my coffee and go back to the pumpkins where you belong.

What's the first legit recipe you cooked?

Chocolate crinkle cookies. To this day, it is still a go to in my holiday cookie arsenal.

Who eats what you make?

Me, and whoever I might last-minute invite over, since I tend to accidentally cook as if I'm serving ten people, regularly.

Family fun fact?

My grandparents emigrated from Austria and immediately set up a burger and milkshake shop in their new little American hometown. They would often use their earnings to take far flung trips around the world. Their love of food and travel absolutely helped shaped who I am today.