Emily Kaiser

Title: Associate Food Editor

At Food & Wine since: 2006

Born and Raised: Washington, DC

Background: My food-related experience includes working as a private chef to a French count and countess (the count liked to leave ducks in the crisper drawer of the fridge to make the feathers more pluckable) and working as a line cook at Obelisk in Washington, DC (where I started every day by churning the butter). In ventures unrelated to food, I worked as a bluegrass DJ for WKCR and a legislative intern for former senator Bill Bradley. For more on my life before Food & Wine: www.emilykaiser.com.

What I Do at Food & Wine: I edit stories and recipes, including columns like Master Cook.

How I Got From Cooking Into Writing: For me, the main fun of cooking professionally was learning from great chefs, so when I finally caught on that food writers learn from great chefs and go out in the evenings, there was no going back.

Favorite Childhood Memory: Playing bakery with my mom's homemade Play-Doh. Fresh Play-Doh is one of the greatest things in the world.

Fantasy Alternative Life: Laura Ingalls Wilder, c. 1880.