School
Indiana University
Expertise
Food History, Fountain Drinks, Anything Fried
- Michael has visited the test kitchens of KFC, Chili's, Moe's, and McAllister's, broken bread and spoken with such chefs as Dominique Ansel, Kardea Brown, and Shaun Hergatt, as well as Larry Lavine, the founder of Chili's. He has also munched his way through every flavor of Utz potato chips, Pop Tarts, Cadbury chocolate bars, and Girl Scout cookies to rank their greatness for all to enjoy.
- He once won a White Castle eating contest, and another time celebrated Valentine's Day at that fine dining establishment (that relationship didn't last). He also is never not hungry.
- In August 2025, Michael was named Static Media writer of the month.
Experience
Michael was born weighing 10 pounds and thus has been a lover of eating since birth. His amazing cook of a mother always indulged him, making many traditional favorites like noodle kugel and squash soufflé, as well as insuring he won the school auction to have a McDonald's lunch with his teachers. He also enjoys dining out at greasy spoon and fine dining establishments with a bit of history. While he was a former Sandwich Artist at Subway, he chose to channel his talents into the arts of film, video, photography, and writing. For the past 25 years, he has worked on Academy Award winning films, Emmy Award winning television shows, had photographs published by New York Magazine, and has written for Tasting Table, Decider, The Takeout, Looper, Mashed, Explore, Chowhound, Food Republic, and The Daily Meal. He also is an unofficial brand ambassador for Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Education
Michael has a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from Indiana University Bloomington.
Food Republic’s industry-leading coverage is created by qualified and experienced writers, and is reviewed and fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure everything is accurate and timely. Outside experts are also consulted whenever possible to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to publish knowledgeable, engaging articles to give readers the information they're looking for, whether that is the news of the day or cooking tips, tricks, and trends. We also bring you recipes you can depend on, as well as reviews and recommendations. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our team is constantly reviewing and updating articles as necessary. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Fast Food
By Michael Palan
We tried Chipotle's Adobo Ranch Dip -- and let's just say yummy, spicy, deliciousness!
By Michael Palan
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Fast Food
By Michael Palan
Chick-fil-A has a new summer offering: The Peach Frosted Lemonade. We've sampled this refreshing drink. Enjoy!
By Michael Palan
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Exclusives
By Michael Palan
We spoke with Kardea Brown at the 2024 NYC Wine & Food festival and she revealed the dessert that sparked her passion for all things sweet.
By Michael Palan
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