Leo Santana
Culinary Guide & Teaching Voice
I’m Leo — part recipe developer, part explainer-in-chief here at Recipster.
I don’t just want you to follow a recipe. I want you to understand it. Why that dough needs to rest. Why that sauce breaks. Why your cake sank and how to make sure it doesn’t next time. I’m here to walk you through the “why,” not just the “how.”
My background is in food science and culinary education. Before joining Recipster, I worked as a cooking instructor and curriculum designer, helping home cooks gain confidence — not just results. I’ve taught beginners how to poach their first egg and helped seasoned bakers troubleshoot sourdough starters that refused to behave.
At Recipster, I focus on the kind of recipes that teach as they feed. You’ll find detailed breakdowns, tested techniques, and practical tips that actually make sense in a real kitchen. I believe cooking is a skill — not a mystery — and once you know the building blocks, everything becomes less intimidating.
I write the way I teach: step by step, no fluff, no judgment. You won’t find perfection here. You’ll find progress, clarity, and a few helpful analogies along the way.
Outside the kitchen, I’m a coffee obsessive, a spreadsheet enthusiast, and the kind of person who over-researches thermometers just for fun. I live in Chicago, and yes — I always weigh my flour.
Professional Affiliation:
Kaizen Co. Publishing
Website: https://kaizencompublishing.com
Business contact: [email protected]
From Technique to Kitchen: Understanding Before Cooking
I didn’t start my career in a kitchen. I began by writing technical manuals — clear, structured, and practical. That experience taught me something essential: people don’t want fancy words; they want things that work. Cooking came later, not from passion but from curiosity — I wanted to understand why recipes failed and how to fix them. Step by step, it turned into a language I now speak fluently.
I’ve cooked across Europe — from pastry events in Paris to chocolate tastings in Belgium — always surrounded by people who love food for what it truly is. I’ve failed, learned, and started over more times than I can count. That’s where the real lessons live.
At Recipster, I carry that same energy. Nothing here is automated. We test, rewrite, argue, and laugh through mistakes. It’s honest food, made by real people. No perfection — just care, time, and the quiet joy of doing things right, even if it takes a few tries.
Grace WHITMORE
Editorial Project Manager & Comfort Food Columnist
I’m the editorial project manager at Recipster. My job? Coordinating publications, making sure everything flows smoothly… and sometimes setting down my cup of tea to write a recipe or a little column myself.
Amara DIALLO
Global Recipe Creator & Bold Culinary Voice
I’m Amara — I write recipes, chase flavors, and love food as much as I love the stories behind it.I didn’t grow up with just one kind of cuisine. I grew up between worlds: Sunday jollof, maple syrup on pancakes, soy sauce in weeknight stir-fries. Home was a mix
Sam TRIBAK
Creative founder and brand strategist
I never really decided to become a “creative.” It just happened somewhere between a keyboard and a kitchen counter. I started out building websites, sketching logos, and writing bits of code that sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t.
