Elle Wignall

Photo of Elle Wignall
Location
Des Moines, Iowa
School
Boston University, University of Iowa
Expertise
Food history, Competitive baking, Restaurant industry
  • Elle is an award-winning pie baker who competes annually in the Iowa State Fair. In 2025, she won Best Overall Fruit Pie out of 164 entries.
  • She is a certified "food nerd" with years of experience as a kitchen product tester; she has tested everything from food processors to meal delivery kits.
  • She was awarded 2nd place by the Iowa Newspaper Association for Best Special Digital Project for her reporting on the essential restaurants of Des Moines for The Des Moines Register.

Experience

Elle has over 10 years of writing and editing experience focused on food and lifestyle media. As the dining reporter at The Des Moines Register, she covered statewide restaurant and food news from 2021 to 2022. After reporting, she worked as a freelance writer and editor, writing instructive content for brands like Made In Cookware and food features for publications including Little Village Magazine. Elle has also taught children's cooking classes, covering basic cooking and baking techniques for elementary through high school-aged students. She currently runs a cottage-kitchen bakery called Dog Days Pie Stand, where she sells pies and pastries in the Des Moines community.

Education

Elle earned her master's degree in gastronomy from Boston University. She earned her bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of Iowa.

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Stories By Elle Wignall

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