Hi, I’m John Kanell, and welcome to my corner of the internet! Thank you for visiting. My journey took an interesting path to get here. After graduating from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, I dedicated over ten years to teaching middle school math and science. However, my lifelong passion has always been the culinary arts. A few years ago, I decided to wholeheartedly pursue that passion, and that’s how Preppy Kitchen was born.
For me, Preppy Kitchen is the perfect blend of my diverse background. It combines my creative side as an artist, the structured thinking I developed teaching math and science (you’d be surprised how much of both are essential in baking!), and the invaluable culinary education I received in my mother’s kitchen growing up. I am incredibly excited to share that my first cookbook, Preppy Kitchen: Recipes for Seasonal Dishes and Simple Pleasures, became a New York Times Best Seller and is available for order now! Adding to the excitement, my second cookbook, Preppy Kitchen: Super Easy, launched on August 20th, 2024.
John Kanell in his kitchen holding a coffee cup, showcasing his warm and approachable personality.
My upbringing as a first-generation Mexican American in Los Angeles has deeply influenced my culinary perspective. My mother immigrated from Mexico, and my father’s family came from French Canada (Montreal), giving me a rich tapestry of Mexican, Greek, French, and American food traditions to draw upon. You might wonder about the name “Preppy Kitchen”. It stems from my belief that being well-prepared – “Prep”-ared – is the key to confidence and success in the kitchen. The greatest joy in cooking for me is sharing delicious food with loved ones. Starting this blog was my way to share my kitchen creations with you, empowering you to prepare wonderful dishes for the people in your life. If I could teach algebra to middle schoolers, trust me, I can guide you through any recipe!
Through Preppy Kitchen, I’ve had incredible opportunities. I’ve been a judge on Food Network’s Chopped: Sweets and a recurring judge on Disney’s Magic Bake-Off. I’ve also collaborated with numerous celebrities and made appearances on popular talk shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Hallmark Home & Family, KTLA, Pickler & Ben, California Cooking with Jessica Holmes, NJ on Air, and CT Live. Furthermore, my work has been featured in esteemed publications like Parade Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Elle Decor, Brides, Country Living, People Magazine, Woman’s Day, Delish, and Taste of Home.
Outside of the bustling kitchen, my husband Brian and I are happily raising our twins, Lachlan & George. We recently traded the city life of Los Angeles for the tranquility of a farm in rural Connecticut, embracing a new chapter in our lives.
If you have any questions, please visit my Contact page and send me a message!
Explore John Kanell’s TV Appearances
To see more of my appearances on various talk shows, please visit my Press Page.
Featured TV Segments of John Kanell
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Watch me make my delicious funnel cake recipe on The Ellen Show
Good Morning America
Check out my Spiced Pecan Shortbread cookies segment on GMA!
The View
Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies fun with Sarah Haines on The View
The Today Show
My Turkey and brie sandwich recipe featured on The Today Show with Al Roker (time stamp 2:46:45)
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Baking Lemon Cupcakes with the amazing Kelly Clarkson
Hallmark Home & Family
The BEST marbled chocolate cheesecake recipe demonstrated on Hallmark Home & Family
Making adorable Chick cupcakes with Debbie Matenopoulos!
Having fun making decadent marshmallow brownies
Creating a lighter and delicious French onion soup recipe
Making a stunning sparkly blue ombré cake with Debbie Matenopoulos
Apple spice cake with brown butter vanilla frosting recipe demonstration
Debbie Matenopoulos and I decorating my Colorful Shag Cake
Decorating my pink ombré raspberry Heart Cake covered in candy melt hearts
KTLA
Reimagining Nostalgic desserts on KTLA
Valentine’s Day baking ideas on KTLA
Pickler and Ben
Boozy toasted pecan shortbread cookies for the Holiday Cookie Challenge on Pickler and Ben
