School
Indiana University
Expertise
Food History, Fountain Drinks, Anything Fried
- Michael has visited the test kitchens of KFC, Chili's, Moe's, and McAllister's, broken bread and spoken with such chefs as Dominique Ansel, Kardea Brown, and Shaun Hergatt, as well as Larry Lavine, the founder of Chili's. He has also munched his way through every flavor of Utz potato chips, Pop Tarts, Cadbury chocolate bars, and Girl Scout cookies to rank their greatness for all to enjoy.
- He once won a White Castle eating contest, and another time celebrated Valentine's Day at that fine dining establishment (that relationship didn't last). He also is never not hungry.
- In August 2025, Michael was named Static Media writer of the month.
Experience
Michael was born weighing 10 pounds and thus has been a lover of eating since birth. His amazing cook of a mother always indulged him, making many traditional favorites like noodle kugel and squash soufflé, as well as insuring he won the school auction to have a McDonald's lunch with his teachers. He also enjoys dining out at greasy spoon and fine dining establishments with a bit of history. While he was a former Sandwich Artist at Subway, he chose to channel his talents into the arts of film, video, photography, and writing. For the past 25 years, he has worked on Academy Award winning films, Emmy Award winning television shows, had photographs published by New York Magazine, and has written for Tasting Table, Decider, The Takeout, Looper, Mashed, Explore, Chowhound, Food Republic, and The Daily Meal. He also is an unofficial brand ambassador for Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Education
Michael has a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from Indiana University Bloomington.
Mashed’s industry-leading coverage is created by qualified and experienced writers, and is reviewed and fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure everything is accurate and timely. Outside experts are also consulted to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to inform and engage our readers, telling them things they need to know, things they want to know, and things they didn't know they wanted to know about food. We strive to always provide a well-rounded reading experience, whether that’s the news of the day or a new original recipe you can try making at home. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our editorial team constantly reviews and updates articles as necessary. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Restaurants
By Michael Palan
With beloved restaurant chain Chi-Chi's returning to the U.S., we take a look at some of its best menu items that we hope will make a comeback.
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Exclusives
By Michael Palan
Food Network celebrity chef Kardea Brown has her own line of frozen meals that she's incredibly proud of. Part of that pride comes from her deep involvement.
Read More
