There are few roles in the culinary world that Julissa Hernández Roberts hasn’t mastered. A former chef, she’s led test kitchens for major publications, ghostwritten multiple cookbooks, and, using her engineering background, now designs kitchen appliances. But her true passion lies in creating delicious, approachable food that’s fun to make. A James Beard–nominated recipe developer, Juli is all about making complex dishes super approachable so everyone can feel confident in the kitchen, no matter their skill level.

When she’s not in the kitchen or working on new culinary projects, you’ll likely find Juli curled up with a sci-fi or fantasy novel (she’s a huge Star Wars fan) or singing karaoke at the top of her lungs in her car. This Queens, New York, native now calls Pennsylvania home, where she lives with her husband, two kids, and her dog and fluffy sidekick, Wookiee.