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Dinner Inspirations for the Food Enthusiast!

"Recipes exploring a world of flavors and experimenting with ingredients to create restaurant-quality meals with a bold taste!" - Chef Maika

side view of the baked lasagna garnished with more pine nuts and basil.
Creamy Spinach Pesto Mushroom Lasagna

Table of Contents

Jump to:
  • Who is Chef Maika?
  • How to use Just Maika Cooking
  • CustomHerbSpiceShop
  • Snapshots!
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Explore New Recipes
  • Get Culinary Resources
  • Where to Next?
  • Proudly Collaborating With
A polaroid collection of chef Maika in her chef uniform in different hotel and commercial kitchens.

Who is Chef Maika?

animated chef maika in a black tshirt.

"I'm just a down-to-earth, approachable, introverted food nerd misfit who makes fun of herself and likes to laugh and eat from South Florida" - Maika

Using an Innovative Approach

Chef Maika, a culinary professional with over ten years of experience, has honed her skills in some of the world's most esteemed hotels, including PGA National Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, Conrad Hilton, and W Hotel. Her dedication to excellence and her innovative approach to global flavors have earned her a reputation as a talented and versatile chef.

Beyond her professional achievements, Chef Maika's passion for cooking is evident in every Just Maika Cooking blog post she writes, where she shares her love for culinary exploration and creativity with her audience.

Chef Maika's profile photo in a chef coat and hand band with arms crossed smiling.

Serving the Community

Growing up in Miami, Florida, Chef Maika was deeply immersed in the vibrant culture and flavors of the Haitian community. Her culinary journey was profoundly influenced by her grandmother, who cooked traditional Haitian meals and served her community from her home in Little Haiti.

This early exposure to Haitian cuisine's rich, bold flavors sparked Maika's passion for cooking and inspired her to explore diverse cultural ingredients. Her Haitian heritage continues to shape her culinary creations, infusing her dishes with a unique blend of tradition and innovation that celebrates the essence of Caribbean cuisine on her Just Maika Cooking blog.

hands holding the greens with the bowl tilted to pour out the water.
How to Clean Collard Greens | Step-by-Step

Empowering Home Cooks

Chef Maika leverages her extensive culinary expertise to guide home cooks in enhancing their dining experiences by inspiring them to rediscover the passion and creativity inherent in home cooking. She is dedicated to teaching the essentials of global cuisine, culture, and ingredients, emphasizing the anthropological impact of food and how it shapes our lives.

Chef Maika introduces her audience to innovative culinary tools and techniques through her Just Maika Cooking blog and personal interactions, offering insights that transform everyday meals into extraordinary culinary creations. Her mission is to empower home cooks to explore new flavors and embrace the art of cooking, enriching their lives and fostering a deeper connection with food.

How to use Just Maika Cooking

Use the Recipes section to find globally inspired dinner ideas.

  • Search by Category
  • Customize Your Search
  • Search Recently Posted Recipes

Use the Cook’s Notebook section to refresh and expand your culinary knowledge.

  • Cooking Techniques
  • Kitchen Equipment Reviews
  • Culinary Glossary

CustomHerbSpiceShop

Custom Herb Spice Shop is your go-to destination for handcrafted, small-batch spice blends made with vibrant, high-quality ingredients. Each blend is thoughtfully curated to elevate everyday cooking, whether you’re creating bold Caribbean dishes, soulful Southern meals, or simple weekday favorites.

Our spices are perfect for home cooks who crave fresh flavor and want to explore global tastes without the guesswork. On our website, you’ll find detailed product information, usage tips, and delicious inspiration to help you make the most of every jar. Visit the shop today to find your next favorite blend and bring a burst of flavor to your kitchen.

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A label that reads chef prepared, made to order by a professional chef and recipe developer.
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Snapshots!

Author posing for a picture with Seattle's Pike Market red Public Market sign in the back drop

Seattle, Washington, USA - Pike Place Market in the background with hubby behind the camera.

author with son in France with the Basilic de Ceour in the back drop

Paris, France -The Basilica of the Sacred Heart in the background with my son.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Just Maika Cooking?

Just Maika Cooking is a food blog that serves "Dinner Inspirations for the Food Enthusiast." It is a culinary adventure that invites readers who are home cooks to explore a world of flavors and experiment with ingredients to create restaurant-quality meals at home.

With a focus on bold tastes and innovative recipes, the blog offers diverse dishes that draw inspiration from global cuisines and ingredients. Each post is crafted to inspire food enthusiasts to push the boundaries of their culinary skills, transforming ordinary dinners into extraordinary dining experiences.

Whether you're a seasoned cook or a kitchen novice, Chef Maika’s blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to elevate their home cooking with vibrant, daring flavors.

What will you find?

Learn where to find the best ingredients and how to wield culinary techniques to elevate the home cooking experience. Just Maika Cooking caters to diverse tastes and any dietary needs, offering adaptations for various restrictions with accessibility for all to guarantee a delightful meal for every plate.

What will you read about?

Experience the joy of cooking through the cultural tales behind dishes, the personal touches that make each recipe unique, and expert advice on utilizing kitchen tools effectively.

Whether it's decoding intricate dishes or seeking the perfect product reviews, this blog is the go-to guide, complete with visual and textual narratives that bring the aromatic attraction and vibrant visuals of gourmet, restaurant-quality cooking to life.

Why is your time important to me?

Here, I explore a panorama of flavors, crafting recipes that bring the sophistication of restaurant dining into your home with meals designed to dazzle your palate.

Life has always been a balancing act for me—between a full-time career, furthering my education, raising my son, and nurturing my Just Maika Cooking blog. I understand the challenge of limited time and the desire to enjoy exquisite, gourmet experiences at your table.

Join me as we explore ways to take the art of restaurant quality cooking made simple for household kitchen, turning every dinner experience into a special occasion because we all deserve a splash of creativity in a routine-heavy life.

Why was Just Maika Cooking created?

I have created this blog to share my passion for recipes inspired by different cultures around the world. I love exploring various foods by traveling and experimenting with different flavors to add my twist of heat.

There's nothing more satisfying than tasting a dish that's rich in culture, history, and the people who make it. As always, I hope you enjoy your experience at Just Maika Cooking!

How are recipe ideas developed?

I enjoy experimenting with dishes from different cultures. Before cooking them, I research to ensure I understand the process and ingredients involved. If I'm unable to do this, I find a place that makes the dish authentically.

Once I'm in the kitchen, I use my imagination to make creative changes to the recipe by incorporating techniques from other recipes with similar ingredients. For this reason, I often name the dish by its main ingredients rather than its actual name. This allows me to be more creative without worrying about missing ingredients or cooking styles.

As a result, the dishes on my blog are not authentic, as my intention is not to create original dishes but rather to experiment with them. I hope you enjoy my version, and I would love to hear about any changes you made when you cook it. I always explore, experiment, and taste, and I enjoy hearing about other cooks' versions of a dish.

How are recipes developed?

Through trial and error. My home kitchen is my test kitchen, where recipes are made repeatedly before being posted for my very opinionated loved ones to critique—oh boy, can they critique! The pressure is intense! Follow me @JustMaikaCooking on Instagram, where I will post my developed recipes.

My original blog - Since 2006.

I formally had a personal food blog called "Journey of a Foodie Fool" on Blogger in 2006 to share photos of my travel with family and friends. I enjoyed sharing my day-to-day cooking, both in the professional kitchen and at home.

Then, I stopped working professionally as a cook to be a teacher to take care of my son with autism and started using my blog to save recipes that were created at home digitally.

Now that my son is older, I have decided to revamp my blog, take it more seriously, and share it with everyone outside my circle as Just Maika Cooking.

Where did the passion for cooking come from?

Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of working in the kitchen as a culinary chef and carrying on the legacy of my Haitian grandmother, Gisele. I wanted to create dishes that people would never forget and eagerly anticipate the next meal, just like my grandmother.

I had the opportunity to pursue my dream by using my creativity to please other people's palates professionally years ago. Now, I work as a recipe developer and culinary coach.

Merci, from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you for your incredible support and for being a part of my journey. Through this blog's creative content, recipes, videos, and food photography, I aim to provide an exceptional experience. Your involvement helps it flourish!

This website is lovingly dedicated to my grandmother, Gisele Corvoisier, who was a Haitian immigrant, the heart of our family, and a pillar in the Little Haiti community of Miami.
-Maika

Explore New Recipes

  • side view and close up the Easy Spicy Crispy Chicken Tacos with Cholula Sour Cream dish on a flat white round plate with shallow straight sides.
    4 Must-Try Tacos Recipes to Inspire Your Next Craving
  • split images of the jerk shrimp, chicken and steak fajitas.
    Jerk Fajita Trio: 3 Must-Try Recipes for a Spicy Weeknight Cook-Up
  • chicken and pork belly tacos topped with chunky cholula green chili sauce on a plate surrounded by pico de gallo and sliced cooked chicken.
    Air Fryer Chicken and Pork Belly Tacos | Easy & Crispy
  • cholula green chli sour cream in a glass bowl with a spoon.
    Homemade Cholula Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce
See more Recipes →

Get Culinary Resources

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    Mastering FIFO: The Simple Method to Keep Your Food Fresh
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    How to Prevent Cross-Contamination in Your Kitchen
  • Diamond slit chicken breasts in a plastic container.
    Diamond Slit Chicken Breast (Video & Pictures)
  • half thawed frozen chicken sliced on a cutting board for perfect slices.
    How to Slice Chicken Perfectly Every Time
See more cooks-notebook →

Where to Next?

  • Culinary Glossary
  • Home: Just Maika Cooking
  • Prepping: Save Time in the Kitchen
  • 31 Essential Home Cooking Equipment Must-Haves 2024
  • Easy Baked Cheesy Crispy Barbeque Chicken Cutlets

Proudly Collaborating With

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Welcome!

Chef Maika's profile photo in a chef coat and hand band with arms crossed smiling.

I’m Maika, a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, and culinary educator. For over a decade, I worked at major hotels such as the PGA National Resort, The Ritz-Carlon Hotel Company, Conrad Hilton, and W Hotel. As a lifetime passionate cook, my blog explores a world of flavors and experiments with recipes to create restaurant-quality dinners that will excite the food enthusiast's taste buds. Learn More →

No Bull. Pure Spice

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Shop CustomHerbSpiceShop

Dietary Needs

Sliced Peach Piri Piri Chicken with Fonio Kale Salad on a plate.

Pollotarian

Caesar Salad with soft-boiled Egg, roasted campari Tomatoes and Chili-Infused Croutons garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper in a wide rim bowl.

Vegetarian

Gluten-Free

Dairy-Free

Grilled Zhug Ras el Hanout Lamb Chops and Tomato, cucumber, onion Salad served with a lemon-oregano dressing served with a grilled lemon.

Grain-Free

grilled marinated tofu on top of a warm roasted vegetable couscous salad on spicy basil romesco sauce in a wide rim bowl topped with micro greens.

Egg-Free

top view of the the Easy Spicy Crispy Chicken Tacos with Cholula Sour Cream sprinkled with fresh chopped cilantr on a flat white round plate with shallow straight sides.

Nut-Free

top view and close up the Lemon Calabrian Chili Chicken Orzo Soup in a wide rim bowl .

Mediterranean

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