Recipe testing

I’ve tested recipes professionally for 11 years, four of which were spent in the test kitchen at The Washington Post. I’m comfortable cooking a variety of cuisines; as a recipe tester I evaluate ingredients, directions, clarity, and outcome, making suggestions or asking questions as needed to make a recipe the best it can be. I’ve worked with editors at The Washington Post, plus cookbook authors Joan Nathan, José Andrés, Joe Yonan, and more. You can see a full list of book projects on my cookbooks page.


The Queer Cookies Cookbook was elevated by Kara's expert recipe editing and testing skills. The off-the-wall, poetry-inspired cookie concepts work in other people's kitchens because of Kara's close attention to detail and knowledge of a wide range of flavors and techniques.
I felt Kara took great care with every recipe to maintain the voice and spirit of the project while tightening the language, clarifying steps, and establishing consistency.
Any author would be lucky to work with Kara!
— Tyler French, co-creator and co-curator of The Queer Cookies Cookbook


Recipe Editing

I have 11 years of experience editing recipes in a wide range of styles, from cookbooks to newsletters to meal kits. When editing recipes, I evaluate them for readability, accuracy, and clarity. I also streamline as much as possible, while still staying true to the recipe writer’s voice.

Let’s get cooking: