Expertise
The CW, Star Wars, DC Comics
- With Looper, Xandra has interviewed top industry talents like Henry Cavill, Jensen Ackles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Owen Wilson, Justin Long, Shawn Levy, Neve Campbell, Christian Slater, Benedict Wong, Winston Duke, and Alicia Silverstone.
- She has covered a range of industry events, including San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic Con, Flame Con, and Awesome Con. Xandra also attends red carpet premieres and often participates in interview coverage during these events.
- In 2022, Xandra's Edgar Allan Poe-inspired short story "Le Palais Hanté" was published in "Love Letters to Poe: Houses of Usher" — the second volume in the anthology series. Her love of Poe has extended to her work with Looper.
Experience
While Xandra's favorite subjects to cover are interviews and the intersection between pop culture and social issues, she got her start in the New York City publication Untapped Cities in 2017. Xandra later worked on print and online articles at Adventure Publishing Group's The Toy Insider and The Licensing Book, and she helped launch The Pop Insider. Beginning in 2018, Xandra created a Snapchat Discover channel that took deep dives into ghost stories, the horror genre, comic book content, and pop culture's most devilish villains — often creating unique memes and Gen Z/Millennial-centric content. In addition to her full-time work, Xandra has freelanced for Screen Rant and covered TV recaps along with live theater/concert reviews for Broadway World. Her reviews have made it into Off-Broadway marketing promotions. A pop culture merchandise company also commissioned Xandra to write several blog posts and gift guides for the company website.
Education
Xandra has a Bachelor's degree in English with an Emphasis on Creative Writing from Randolph College.
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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Exclusives
By Xandra Harbet
Chef Melissa King is more than a "Top Chef" winner; she is also an LGBTQ+ advocate, pushing restaurants to be more inclusive for the queer community.
By Xandra Harbet
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Exclusives
By Xandra Harbet
PFLAG advocate Melissa King, who won "Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.," told Mashed about how the experience changed her and named some of her favorite LGBTQ+ chefs.
By Xandra Harbet
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Exclusives
By Xandra Harbet
At PFLAG's 50th anniversary gala, Melissa King discussed her "Top Chef" win, her journey as an LGBTQ+ chef, and more in an exclusive interview.
By Xandra Harbet
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Now that kids are home for summer break it's the perfect time to get them involved in the kitchen, and Impossible Foods Chef J. Michael has some tips.
By Xandra Harbet
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Eating sustainable foods is at the heart of the mission of Impossible Foods and the brand's Chef J. Michael reveals his tips for doing so while grilling.
By Xandra Harbet
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Chef J. Michael and Impossible Foods' Product Communications aficionado Megan Collins shared their favorite places to grab a meal that serve Impossible Foods.
By Xandra Harbet
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Creator of the Cronut, Dominique Ansel, has a lot to say about his greatest chef influences, who he's like to collaborate with, and who should cook him dinner.
By Xandra Harbet
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Impossible Food is doing exactly what's in their name. The company spoke to Mashed about the expanding reach of their products and the best cookout options.
By Xandra Harbet
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Creator of the Cronut, chef Dominique Ansel, is keen on giving back to programs that target food insecurity, a lesson he learned from his own childhood.
By Xandra Harbet
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The Cronut has been around for nearly a decade and creator Dominique Ansel is still coming up with ways to make it fresh as he tells Mashed.
By Xandra Harbet
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Dominique Ansel had no idea what a sensation he had on his hands. The Cronut® creator told Mashed about his current charity work with City Harvest.
By Xandra Harbet
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Beyond Meat is expanding! The plant-based brand now has "chicken" tenders and their chef tells Mashed the best ways to cook them.
By Xandra Harbet
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If you want to introduce more plant-based foods for your family and kids, there are some tricks to getting them to like the meal, says Beyond Meat's chef.
By Xandra Harbet
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The environmental impact of food has become a more prominent talking point recently. Beyond Meat revealed how their products can help combat climate change.
By Xandra Harbet
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Beyond Meat is increasing their footprint, but it isn't carbon. Mashed spoke to Chef Diana Stavaridis about the company's expansion and some cooking tips.
By Xandra Harbet
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Television
By Xandra Harbet
Actor Misha Collins knows good food, as he shows hosting the PBS series "Roadfood." He told Mashed how it differs from Anthony Bourdain's early work.
By Xandra Harbet
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Exclusives
By Xandra Harbet
Misha Collins has his annual GISH scavenger hunt that tracks down some crazy items, but no one has been able to find the McDonald's commercial he starred in.
By Xandra Harbet
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Exclusives
By Xandra Harbet
Misha Collins has turned cuisine into his life's work. He spoke to Mashed about cultural lessons with "Roadfood" and the biggest takeaways from "Supernatural."
By Xandra Harbet
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