About the Writer: Kristen Desmond

Kristen is a chef and culinary consultant based in Washington, DC. A certified food safety manager, she trained at New York City’s Natural Gourmet Institute. Kristen specializes in cooking and baking with whole, natural ingredients.

For more than 6 years, Kristen owned and operated Flagstone Pantry, a healthy gourmet concept, located at the Santa Barbara Public Market in Santa Barbara, California. You will always find her developing new recipes and publishing articles on a range of topics including choosing cookware, cooking with fresh herbs, and grilling the perfect steak.

Kristen is a member of World Central Kitchen’s Chef Relief Team and volunteers at a local organic farm that grows seasonal vegetables, herbs, and flowers.