Crystal Zaragoza is a Class Assistant at The Chopping Block. She grew up in Nebraska and also lived in San Francisco before landing in Chicago. Crystal has a deep-seated appreciation for food styling and presentation. Her favorite cuisines are Japanese and Thai. She loves throwing together a hodge podge of ingredients on the fly to create new, unexpected combinations. Crystal also greatly enjoys exploring the cuisines and food traditions of other cultures. When she isn't in the kitchen, Crystal can be found carrying out her passion for teaching in another avenue, as a coach for a high school color guard. She can also be found hanging out in local coffee shops or trying out new restaurants and brewpubs with her husband.