John Kanell: Founder, Author, and Culinary Innovator

Welcome to my corner of Preppy Kitchen! I’m John Kanell, the founder of Preppy Kitchen, where my passion for food and teaching come together to empower home cooks worldwide. My culinary journey began in my mother’s kitchen, where I learned the joy of creating delicious, from-scratch meals—a lifelong education that continues to inspire everything I do.

Before founding Preppy Kitchen in 2015, I spent over a decade teaching middle school math and science. This background, combined with a Fine Arts degree from UCLA, provides a unique lens through which I approach cooking and baking. The precision of science, the creativity of art, and the clarity of teaching are all woven into every recipe and video you find on our site. I chose the name “Preppy Kitchen” because I believe helping people be “Prep”-ared in the kitchen allows them to feel confident and ultimately successful.

My work at Preppy Kitchen has led to incredible opportunities to share my love of food. I am a two-time New York Times Bestselling author, with popular cookbooks including Preppy Kitchen: Recipes for Seasonal Dishes and Simple Pleasures and Preppy Kitchen: Super Easy. My culinary insights have been featured on national television shows such as Live with Kelly and Mark, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, Good Morning America, The Drew Barrymore Show, Watch What Happens Live, and The Today Show. I’ve also had the privilege of judging Food Network’s Chopped: Sweets and Disney’s Magic Bake-Off. Under my leadership, Preppy Kitchen has grown into a vibrant online community, reaching over 9 million culinary enthusiasts across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms. I also run a baking-focused Substack called Everyday Baking, where I inspire and guide nearly 250,000 subscribers of all skill levels to bake with confidence.

Beyond the kitchen, I live on a farm in rural Connecticut with my husband, Brian, and our twin sons, Lachlan and George. This setting continually inspires my approach to seasonal cooking and family-focused recipes. My goal is to make every dish achievable and enjoyable, helping you create indelible memories with your loved ones.

Head on over to my Contact page if you have any questions and drop me a line!