Meet Our Team: The Culinary Experts Behind Preppy Kitchen
At Preppy Kitchen, our success is built on the passion and expertise of our dedicated culinary team. We believe that knowing the talented individuals behind your favorite recipes and cooking tips builds trust and enriches your experience. Get to know the professionals who bring the Preppy Kitchen vision to life every day.
John Kanell, Founder & Culinary Visionary
John Kanell is the heart of Preppy Kitchen, a multifaceted culinary expert who bridges the gap between complex techniques and achievable home cooking. With a unique background that combines an artistic eye (UCLA Fine Arts degree) with a scientific approach (over a decade teaching middle school math and science), John demystifies baking and cooking. His passion, ignited by his mother’s scratch cooking, led him to create Preppy Kitchen in 2015. A two-time New York Times Bestselling author with cookbooks like Preppy Kitchen: Recipes for Seasonal Dishes and Simple Pleasures and Preppy Kitchen: Super Easy, John is a trusted voice in food. He’s also a familiar face on national television, having judged Food Network’s Chopped: Sweets, Disney’s Magic Bake-Off, and appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, Good Morning America, and The Today Show. John, his husband Brian, and their twin sons Lachlan and George, now live on a farm in rural Connecticut, enriching Preppy Kitchen with seasonal inspiration and family-focused content. View John Kanell’s Full Profile
Sarah Ward, Executive Editor & Culinary Leader
Sarah Ward serves as the distinguished Executive Editor for Preppy Kitchen, meticulously overseeing and shaping the brand’s celebrated culinary content. With a career spanning over a decade in digital and print food media, Sarah brings a unique blend of creative vision, editorial precision, and profound hands-on culinary expertise. Her journey began as a passionate, self-taught baker and recipe developer before moving to leading ad agencies Digitaria and Mirum. In 2015, she became a highly sought-after freelance recipe developer and food stylist. Sarah’s authoritative background in print publishing includes serving as Food Editor for Southern Cast Iron and Taste of the South magazines, ultimately ascending to Lead Editor for Taste of the South. Since joining Preppy Kitchen in 2021, Sarah has been an indispensable partner to John Kanell, providing essential oversight for all culinary endeavors, including rigorous recipe development and testing, strategic video and social media content, and playing a critical role in bringing John’s three highly successful cookbooks to fruition. She further shares her knowledge by teaching hands-on baking workshops through the Alabama Folk School. View Sarah Ward’s Full Profile
Erin Merhar, Recipe Director
Erin Merhar is a highly accomplished culinary professional with over 15 years of experience spanning professional kitchens, renowned food media publications, and successful entrepreneurial ventures. She received her professional training at the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly The French Culinary Institute) and began her career on the opening team of the acclaimed restaurant Maialino, formerly part of Union Square Hospitality Group. Erin’s extensive experience in food media includes roles in the test kitchen at Saveur magazine, as Director of Food Styling at Southern Living Magazine, Portfolio Manager at Meredith-Dotdash Food Studios, and Digital Food Director at ThePioneerWoman.com, where she established and led the test kitchen and content programs. For more than a decade, Erin also worked independently as a creative entrepreneur, content strategist, and food stylist for various editorial and brand clients. As Preppy Kitchen’s Recipe Director, she ensures every recipe meets the highest standards of deliciousness and reliability. View Erin Merhar’s Full Profile