About - Cook With Dana

Hi! I’m Dana ◡̈

I’m so happy you stopped by. I’m the recipe creator, food stylist and photographer behind Cook with Dana. This is my cozy corner where I share my love for delicious Asian recipes that you can easily make at home.

Dark hair asian girl with blue apron in a kitchen.

The key to good asian food is using the right ingredients so the dishes taste authentic! Here in my blog, I break down the ingredients (like the right soy sauce to use!) and step-by-step instructions with lots of photos to make cooking at home feel less intimidating, yet very delicious! From One Pot Hainan Chicken Rice to Easy Dan Dan Noodles, I’m all about making Asian dishes easy and approachable for home chefs like you!

My Love for Cantonese Food

Grandma and father feeding baby a drumstick.

I’m Chinese-American (grew up in the United States) and I grew up eating homemade Cantonese food made by my grandma and dad. A lot of dishes are heavily influenced by Hakka culture like this Chinese Stuffed Eggplant and Jalapeno and Garlic Sauce. I wanted to share their delicious food with the world and that is how Cook With Dana started !

On my blog, you will find my family’s famous Chinese (mostly Cantonese cuisine) recipes as well as my favorite Asian dishes (Korean, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese). My goal is to create authentic recipes that remind you of your family’s home cooked meals.

How did I learn to cook?

My family always made delicious home cooked meals so learning how to eat came natural! My parents owned a Chinese and Japanese restaurant growing up so I was able to learn a few tricks here and there. I worked at the restaurants during my childhood years and learned how to wrap potstickers to learning what ingredients are used to make sushi rice. Learning what ingredients cook well together and how the flavors harmonize with each other is my specialty! I always make sure my food tastes good!

Not only did I work in the restaurant for 15+ years with my parents, my family was a huge foodie family. They sourced the freshest meat and vegetables from local regions (mostly from China). We would have family dinners with my uncles, aunts and cousins. All we talked about at the dinner table was the FOOD! The delicious food definitely influenced me to become such a foodie today. I’m so blessed to have great cooks in my family to teach me cooking tips and how to cook authentic Chinese food.

Chinese food spread from sauteed vegetables, roast pork, stuffed jalapenos, steamed fish.

More About Dana & the Blog!

All recipes on my blog are developed and tested in my home kitchen. I test the recipe multiple times to make sure you can master it too. Here’s a video to show my recipe creation process.

Are your recipes beginner-friendly?

Definitely! I add my recipes with clear and simple instructions that include
photos for each step so you can easily follow and recreate in your own kitchen.

What kind of recipes do you usually share?

I focus on Asian comfort food especially Chinese, Korean and Japanese dishes. You’ll find a mix of easy meals, nostalgic flavors, and fun twists on traditional recipes. I also love sharing Cantonese recipes from my family!

I’m super busy—do you have quick recipes I can make after work?

Yes! Most of my recipes are designed with busy schedules. You’ll find lots of quick meals that take 30 minutes or less, with easy steps and minimal cleanup. My Easy and Delicious 20 Minute Meals are perfect for hectic days or low-energy nights.

Do you share dessert recipes too?

Yes! While savory is my main focus, I have a growing collection of easy, Asian desserts like Fried Mantou and no-bake treats like Cheesecake With Pineapple and Mango Float.

lots of dishes on the table such as scrambled egg, duck, soup, roast pork

My Work

I love collaborating with brands I love! I try out many different food products for my recipes and recommend my readers the best ones to make delicious dishes. High quality ingredients as well as tools help you create the tastiest dishes!

I’ve create recipes and imagery for Coca-Cola, Kroger, Mizkan, Zojirushi, Butcher Box, Beyond Meat, and Sir Kensington to name a few.

I love working with brands that align with my values. If you are interested in working with me, please connect with me via email: COOKWITHDANA@SELECT.CO

Sharing My Family Recipes in a Cookbook!

I wrote my very own cookbook called “Homecooked” so my family’s Cantonese recipes will be passed to my future kids and their kids. I also hope that the book gives people a taste of Chinese home cooked meals if they are missing that authentic flavor. My parent’s homemade dumpling recipe is one of the best you’ve ever tasted! You can shop Homecooked Here.

Our Homemade Chili Oil

For those that want to try my family’s delicious food, this is the opportunity. We have taken my uncle’s famous chili oil recipe and jar them up to sell. We make the chili ourselves, so be sure to check it out!

We have been recipe tasting with family, friends, foodies, and locals at farmer markets, and we adapted to what people liked 😉 This has been tried and true to get the perfect taste for y’all! We believe it is the most flavorful chili oil that you will ever try – savory, complex, umami, fragrant, with a touch of mala – it’s truly a masterpiece.