School
Southern Methodist University
Expertise
Cultural Exploration of Regional Foods, Specialty Coffee, Spirits and Mixology
- Empowered by travels to over 40 countries, Nikita loves exploring the cooking techniques and ingredients particular to a place.
- Nikita is passionate about finding the best cup of coffee nearby, which has led him to interview some of the world's most recognized baristas.
- He also loves to collect rare regional spirits, both for sipping straight and crafting into unique cocktails for his friends.
Experience
Nikita has written on food, coffee, technology, and travel for publications like Eater, Intrepid Times, and Sliced, as well as served as a staff writer for Cyberpunks and CoffeeGeek. His work focuses on inclusivity and cultural diversity, emphasizing food as a vehicle for the shared human experience. He believes eating someone's offerings is sensing their story through flavor: whether told by a remarkable chef or sung by the noteworthy voices of ordinary people. As a cook, traveler, and dedicated researcher, he strives to bridge the gap between the unfamiliar, trending, and accessible.
Education
Nikita graduated with an applied mathematics degree from Southern Methodist University. While unrelated to food writing, he loves pursuing interdisciplinary perspectives and applying analytical thinking to food reportage.
Food Republic’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 whenever possible to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to publish knowledgeable, engaging articles to give readers the information they're looking for, whether that is the news of the day or cooking tips, tricks, and trends. We also bring you recipes you can depend on, as well as reviews and recommendations. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our team is constantly reviewing and updating articles as necessary. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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How-Tos
By Nikita Ephanov
Despite the convenience of the Nespresso Vertuo Machine, there is a touch of routine maintenance involved, namely regularly cleaning and descaling the machine.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Fast Food
By Nikita Ephanov
Once, back in the 1980s, there was a fast food chain that launched a pioneering program that delivered burgers in 24-hours all across the country.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Simplicity in a cocktail isn't a bad thing, but that doesn't mean you can't shake up classics with a twist now and again. Swap the spirit for summery delight.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Starbucks
By Nikita Ephanov
Like all the best Starbucks drinks, there are many ways to creatively tweak your iced or hot Caramel Macchiato to suit whatever mood you're in.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Fast Food
By Nikita Ephanov
Only two caffeinated options are available at Chick-fil-A: hot and iced coffee. Unfortunately, the latter garners an abundance of mixed reviews.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Cooking Tips
By Nikita Ephanov
Looking for an easy way to increase the flavor of your mashed potatoes without modifying your ingredient list? It all comes down to how you prepare your spuds.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Food Science
By Nikita Ephanov
Ever crack an egg into a pan only to notice the white looks a little cloudy? It might look a bit strange, but here's what that actually means.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Cooking Tips
By Nikita Ephanov
Coleslaw is a standard side in many a home cook's recipe arsenal, but you can zhuzh it up by swapping cabbage for this green veg, and we don't mean broccoli.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Fast Food
By Nikita Ephanov
The dominance of chicken burgers at fast food chains highlights America's love for poultry. But what explains the lack of turkey burgers on major menus?
By Nikita Ephanov
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How-Tos
By Nikita Ephanov
While a torn roll of aluminum foil can easily become a shredded mess that makes you want to throw it away, there's a surprisingly simple hack to fix it.
By Nikita Ephanov
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World Cuisines
By Nikita Ephanov
While peppers are staples in regional cuisines across the country, one state leads U.S. chile production, supplying roughly 77% of the nation's crop.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Fast Food
By Nikita Ephanov
Chick-fil-A may have retired its carrot and raisin salad after four decades, but when it did, thankfully it anticipated some sadness and released the recipe.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Cooking Tips
By Nikita Ephanov
If you want to have a summer slushy from the comfort of your own home, you don't need a fancy (or expensive) machine to make them. Just do this.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Shopping Tips
By Nikita Ephanov
If you've purchased a jar of Classico recently, but you've noticed a sudden change in the quality of your favorite sauce, you are not alone.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Effectively a regional spin on a sub, a hoagie comes piled high with a generous serving of Italian meats and cheese — but what kind of bread makes the sandwich?
By Nikita Ephanov
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Fast Food
By Nikita Ephanov
Sure, industry giant McDonald's may have started in California, but the Midwest actually birthed an impressive variety of popular fast food chains.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Cooking Tips
By Nikita Ephanov
If you want the absolute crispiest grilled cheese sandwich possible, sure, you could make a parmesan crust, but this step is even easier (and faster).
By Nikita Ephanov
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Food History
By Nikita Ephanov
In San Francisco, there's a local diner specialty that stars ground beef and makes for a satiating breakfast option. Plus, it's endlessly adaptable.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Beer and Wine
By Nikita Ephanov
While it's easy to romanticize the past through the lens of 1960s beer prices, adjusting those numbers for inflation changes the equation slightly.
By Nikita Ephanov
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World Cuisines
By Nikita Ephanov
Over Willie Nelson's decades-long career, the musician has revealed several food preferences — and one of his favorite Southern meals comes as no surprise.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Cooking Tips
By Nikita Ephanov
If you find yourself with leftover bratwurst stowed away in the fridge, don't worry. Turning those remains into a versatile dish is a quick and simple fix.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Beer and Wine
By Nikita Ephanov
Prohibition nearly drove this beer style into obscurity, but it eventually reemerged as a breakout national success, championed largely by one brand.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Fast Food
By Nikita Ephanov
If you love yourself fast food tater tots, especially from this popular drive-in brand, then you're in for good news: They're coming to stores.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Coffee Shops
By Nikita Ephanov
Dallas is a sprawling city with over 30 neighborhoods, but we have the inside scoop on the best coffee shops, according to a local.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Cooking Tips
By Nikita Ephanov
If you love to toss your salmon into the air fryer for an easy meal but you want to ensure you add flavor (and don't dry it out), add these two things.
By Nikita Ephanov
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There's a unique snack that some Southern states, like Texas, enjoy alongside popcorn when they go to the movie theatre. It's salty, crunchy, and delicious.
By Nikita Ephanov
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Food History
By Nikita Ephanov
Once upon a time, over a decade ago, Lay's created a uniquely flavored chip that no one, and we mean no one, asked for: a coffee flavored chip.
By Nikita Ephanov
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