Jan Valdez

I got into this field by spending 10 years working in Research & Development and Product Development test kitchens, testing new products and recipes. For nearly eight years, I was the Senior Culinary R&D Specialist at Weber headquarters, where all the grills are designed, engineered, and tested. I've helped launch numerous best-selling, top-rated grills across the globe (you should see my grill collection at home!).

One of my proudest accomplishments happened years earlier, when I had the opportunity to visit the Good Housekeeping Institue in NYC after developing an award-winning Tropical Citrus Shrimp recipe that jumpstarted my career in test kitchens and food editing. Since then, I've worked at Serious Eats (one of my favorite food sites) and EatingWell as an updates editor.

I'm passionate about both classic recipes and new, unique twists. I'm constantly learning and that's what makes food and cooking so fun (just ask me how to bake light and airy pavlovas on the grill – I've tested them countless times!).