Betty Crocker Maker: Melinda Sekela

Instagram: @unboxingbetty | TikTok: @unboxingbetty | www.unboxingbetty.com

Growing up in Northeast Ohio, I spent many lazy summer afternoons watching the Food Network and cooking with my grandma. Cooking was like science class to me — each recipe an experimentation in texture and flavor. We’d try new recipes we saw on TV together, like hummus and cream puffs,  but she also taught me our family’s traditional recipes like pierogis, kolache nut bread, and cabbage rolls.  

When I first moved to New York City, for a college internship, my palette expanded — my coworkers took me out for long lunches and I tried many cuisines for the first time, from Korean BBQ and udon noodles to Ethiopian food. I was excited by the unique flavors but also the commonalities across cuisines and saw first-hand how the melting pot of America made way for endless variations in each culture’s style.  

Growing up, my mom and I loved to bake cookies from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book, which has been passed down in my family for generations. Our favorite is the chocolate crinkle cookie. It was once I started to research the Betty Crocker brand for my YouTube Series, Unboxing Betty, that I realized how influential Betty Crocker has been to how Americans have cooked over the last century. I am in awe of the ways the brand supports home cooks, providing easy and convenient shortcuts to share meals and create memories with loved ones.  

I have a vast collection of vintage cookbooks (many from Betty Crocker) which present such a unique perspective on American food and inspire my cooking in so many ways. I love referring to these books for both classic dishes and offbeat ideas, which I combine with my local and seasonal flair when creating recipes. Julia Child has been an inspiration for me all my life, and she’s a guiding force for my YouTube series. I hope I’m able to give viewers a similar sense of ease, curiosity, and fun in the kitchen that Julia was able to do for generations.