Laura Kanya Title: Recipe Tester and Developer Location: Williston, Vermont Expertise: Baking and pastries, chef instructor, testing recipes, recipe management Laura Kanya is a recipe tester and developer in the Vermont test kitchen of Dotdash Meredith. She has been active in the food industry for more than two decades in a variety of roles including pastry chef, chef instructor, executive chef, and director of operations in restaurants, resorts, catering, retail operations, and food production companies. Experience After graduating from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in dietetics, Laura pursued her love of baking by earning an associate degree in baking and pastry arts from the Culinary Institute of America. She has worked at the Macrina Bakery in Seattle, Sundance Resort in Utah, and Vermont Mystic Pie Company, The Inn at Essex, New England Culinary School, and Sugarsnap Catering, all in Vermont. Laura discovered her love of baking growing up alongside two grandmothers and a mom who loved baking and cooking. They unknowingly established the importance of food and cooking in Laura's life. Growing up outside Philadelphia, she had access to great restaurants, and her dad took her to many. Prior to joining the EatingWell team, Laura traveled throughout the United States, and to England, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, and Anguilla to check out different cultures and food. Laura lives in Vermont with her husband, son, daughter, and schnauzer. Laura enjoys biking with her family, seeking food experiences with her kids and husband, walking her dog Blue, and finding the best maple creemees. About Real Simple Real Simple, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning, trusted online resource for smart, authentic solutions to simplify your life. We reach 11 million readers a month. Our content is written by experienced journalists and fact-checked for accuracy. Learn more about us and our editorial guidelines.