Noelle Carter is the Times' Test Kitchen manager. A native Californian, she got her first degree in film from USC and worked in the film industry before succumbing to her passion for food and going to culinary school. She loves exploring regional and historic American cuisine.
noelle.carter@latimes.com

Betty Hallock is assistant Food editor and joined the Times in 2002. She formerly worked at the Wall Street Journal in New York. betty.hallock@latimes.com

Susan LaTempa is the Times' acting Food editor. susan.latempa@latimes.com

Rene Lynch is a Times Web deputy and staff writer. rene.lynch@latimes.com

Russ Parsons writes "The California Cook" column for the Times' Food section. He is also the author of “How to Read a French Fry” and the newly published "How to Pick a Peach." russ.parsons@latimes.com

Amy Scattergood is a Times staff writer and “The Saucier” columnist. Scattergood grew up in Iowa, has degrees in theology, poetry and cooking, and, when she isn't writing about food, is trying to get her two young daughters to cook it themselves. amy.scattergood@latimes.com

S. Irene Virbila is the Times' Restaurant Critic. virbila@latimes.com