John Kanell: From Teacher to Culinary Internet Sensation
Podcasts > Culinary Confidential with Christina Cates
Monday, October 12, 2026
Some people make baking look beautiful. John Kanell, creator of Preppy Kitchen, New York Times bestselling author, and one of the biggest personalities in digital food, makes you believe that YOU can actually do it.
He joins the show this week to discuss how he got to this point, and highlight his newest cookbook - Preppy Kitchen: Everyday Baking.
Before the cookbooks, millions of followers, and beautifully styled cakes, John was a middle school math and science teacher. What began as a creative outlet eventually became the Preppy Kitchen platform, where he amassed nearly 10 million followers across his social platforms. His followers turn to him for recipes that are beautiful, reliable, and most importantly, approachable.
John has a way of taking something that may feel intimidating - whether it’s baking a layer cake, making the perfect pastry, or simply getting into the kitchen - and make you think, “I can actually do this!” He brings this same philosophy to Preppy Kitchen: Everyday Baking.
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