Leigh Kunkel

Chicago

Writer and Journalist at Freelance

~Award-winning~ journalist with stuff in @oprahdaily, @nytimes, @lonelyplanet, @thecounter etc. | @medillschool | side project: @twolittlepills

Featured in: Favicon

architecturaldigest.com Favicon

10best.com Favicon

vinepair.com Favicon

fsrmagazine.com Favicon

msn.com

nationalgeographic.com Favicon

atlasobscura.com Favicon

lonelyplanet.com Favicon

seriouseats.com Favicon

thekitchn.com + 9 more

Articles

Greens With a Side of Indulgence

1 week ago | getflavor.com | Mike Kostyo |Leigh Kunkel

A distinct but related version of girl dinner is a yin-yang combo of a salad and fries—martini optional, but encouraged. This style of snack plate is all about balance, with fresh, crunchy greens set off by crispy, salty fries. It’s healthy and still includes a little treat. And because both salads and fries are infinitely customizable, it’s easy to make the dish work on just about any menu.
Create a DIY Experience

1 week ago | getflavor.com | Leigh Kunkel

Creativity and personalization are some of the biggest benefits of snack dinners at home, and operators would do well to adopt a similar mindset when embracing the snack-dinner trend. Take a neutral base like naan, tortilla or water crackers and serve it with a variety of snacky toppings that guests can mix and match to suit their own palates.
All Sides, All the Time

1 week ago | getflavor.com | Mike Kostyo |Leigh Kunkel

One strong perk of snack dinners is that they offer the perfect venue for supporting players to steal the show. Popeyes may be known for fried chicken, but last summer, the Louisiana-inspired chain turned the spotlight on its classic sides through a limited-edition Girl Dinner Meal. Through a special tab on the brand’s website, customers could create their dream snack dinner, with offerings including coleslaw, mac and cheese and Cajun-spiced fries. Was it mostly a marketing trick? Sure. Did it work?
Embrace an Eclectic Mess

1 week ago | getflavor.com | Mike Kostyo |Leigh Kunkel

Subscribe Flavor & The Menu will use the information you provide on this form to send you food and menu trend updates and recipes. We'll NEVER share your information with third parties. Please check the box below to subscribe. Email To unsubscribe, click the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected]. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform.
From “Girl Dinner” Fad to Snack Plate Sensations

1 week ago | getflavor.com | Leigh Kunkel

Why choose just one dish when you can have a little of everything? Back in 2023, when TikTokers first began sharing their plates of various veggies, spreads, crackers and more, they called it #GirlDinner—and the first video to coin the term racked up more than 1.3 billion views. Since then, the name has expanded to be as inclusive as its contents, and #SnackDinner has exploded across social media.
5 Viral Salads That “Slap”

1 month ago | getflavor.com | Leigh Kunkel

Chopped salads first made their mark on dining in 1950s Los Angeles. Legend has it that Hollywood starlets asked the chef at hotspot La Scala for a dish that was easier to eat in their formalwear, and the chopped salad was born. Whether or not you believe the story, there’s no denying that chopped salads are all the rage again. Home cooks on TikTok and Instagram are chopping up their own versions with unique ingredients—and getting millions of views.
Modernizing the Classic Confit Technique

2 months ago | getflavor.com | Leigh Kunkel

Like many great culinary traditions, confit—the process of cooking something low and slow in fat and salt—comes from France. The word means “preserved” in French, and that’s exactly how the technique came about: Before refrigeration, medieval French hunters used the confit method to extend the life of their ingredients, particularly game birds like duck. The layer of fat prevents bacterial growth and, as a bonus, makes the meat incredibly tender and flavorful.
Comforting Yet Complex Grilled Cheese

Nov 12, 2024 | getflavor.com | Leigh Kunkel

The time for comfort food has arrived, and few can rival a warm, melty grilled cheese sandwich. While the basic formula of white bread and American cheese remains beloved, this humble handheld boasts much broader potential. “The grilled cheese is a culinary chameleon,” explains Danni Eickenhorst, CEO of HuSTL Hospitality Group, which owns Steve’s Meltdown in St. Louis.
5 Pasta Trends for 2025

Oct 15, 2024 | getflavor.com | Leigh Kunkel

The beautiful thing about pasta is its seemingly impossible marriage of simplicity and complexity. Its relatively neutral flavor makes it the perfect base for other ingredients to shine, while providing infinite opportunities for variation through texture, shape and technique. And despite a millennium of history, pasta still offers room for innovation: a new shape hit the market as recently as 2021.
Optimizing Reality

Sep 3, 2024 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org | Leigh Kunkel

With Gen Z in its higher-education years and Gen Alpha fast approaching, academic libraries are seeking ways to reach tech-savvy students. “College students, being digital natives, are more inclined to engage with technology-driven learning tools,” says Yingqi Tang, distance education and electronic resources manager at Jacksonville (Ala.) State University’s (JSU) Houston Cole Library. That’s a major reason many institutions are using augmented reality (AR) to connect with students.