Welcome to my kitchen!

Hi there! I’m Casey Monroe, 36 years old, born and raised in Austin, Texas, now calling vibrant Dubai my home. It still amazes me how life stirs the pot and leads us into flavors we never imagined. A decade ago, I was working a marketing job, shuffling through spreadsheets and campaign pitches, until one late night I found myself baking peach cobbler at 2 a.m. just to clear my head. That cobbler changed everything.

I didn’t go to culinary school right away. I learned the way many home cooks do—by burning things, under-seasoning soups, over-whipping cream, and obsessively watching cooking shows. My kitchen was my classroom, my experiments were my teachers, and my grandma’s dog-eared recipe cards were my textbooks. Slowly but surely, I started to figure things out. I fell in love with dessert first—there’s something magical about how a few simple ingredients can become a memory on a plate. Then came breakfast, then main dishes, and finally, drinks that could match the warmth of a hearty meal or cool off a sunburned afternoon.

Moving to Dubai opened a whole new pantry of inspiration. I found myself weaving cardamom into shortbread, pairing za’atar with eggs benedict, and experimenting with rosewater in iced lattes. There’s something about the fusion of tradition and modernity here that lights up my culinary imagination. I cook from a place of comfort and curiosity, always trying to create something that tastes like home—whether home means Texas barbecue, a classic American pancake stack, or a pistachio milkshake with a date syrup swirl.

To me, cooking isn’t about being perfect. It’s about the joy of trying, the fun of sharing, and the love that simmers in every dish. I want fellow home cooks to know that you don’t need a chef’s coat to make something incredible. All you need is a little courage, a bit of patience, and a willingness to taste along the way. Trust me, some of my favorite recipes started as mistakes. And some of my worst ones? They taught me more than any recipe ever could.

So if you’re here looking for inspiration, or just trying to figure out what to make for dinner that won’t set off the smoke alarm—you’re in good company. Let’s stir, whisk, sip, and savor our way through this journey together.