Dr. Jacob Dean

Jacob Dean is Updates Editor at Serious Eats. Jacob has written for Serious Eats since 2018; his work has also appeared in The Washington Post, VICE and VICE MUNCHIES, Taste, The Takeout, Michelin Guide (where he was a columnist), Robert Parker Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast, Adweek, Roads & Kingdoms, Fodor's Travel, Alaska Beyond, and more. Jacob has also worked for The New York Times and Serious Eats as a freelance recipe tester. He likes dumplings, small international airports, and is allergic to grasshoppers (the insect, not the mixed drink).

As the son of a professional recipe tester, and a novelist and editor, both of whom are world travelers, Jacob was primed from a young age for a life of writing, cooking, and world travel. In addition to being a food and travel writer, Jacob holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, two Master's degrees in psychology, and has worked in multiple clinical settings as a mental health professional. He was named an emerging writer at the Food Writer's Symposium in 2019 and was an invited judge for the IACP Awards in 2021.

What is your desert island food?

"My desert island food would have to be dried beans, both for creative and utilitarian reasons. Dried beans are very humble, but they're healthy, last a long time, would do well in the humidity of a desert island, and can be incredibly delicious with almost no seasoning. Beans are also used by so many cultures that the sky's the limit for what you can do with them!"

What's your favorite condiment?

"Being forced to say that one condiment is better than another seems downright unfair (I love them all!) but right now my heart belongs to the green variety of yuzu kosho. The salty, spicy, fermented blast of energy that comes from just a tiny dab can liven up even the blandest of dishes."