Photo of author Max Plenke

Max Plenke

Max Plenke is a senior editor at Thrillist. He’s noisily Minnesotan, which is a weird juxtaposition. Appreciates a comfy boot.

Latest Posts From Max

How To Refresh Taco Night
Eat
Sep 16, 2021

How To Refresh Taco Night

To help you put a regional spin on taco-night standards, we teamed up with Old El Paso and home chefs from all over the country to show us (and you) how to make their faves.

Michelle Buteau Cooks Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Eat
Dec 21, 2020

Michelle Buteau Cooks Mini Chicken Pot Pies

It’s time to stop thinking you don’t have time to cook at home.

Paid Content For Campbell's
Michelle Buteau Cooks a Green Bean Casserole
Eat
Dec 21, 2020

Michelle Buteau Cooks a Green Bean Casserole

It’s time to get over your fear of cooking.

Paid Content For Campbell's
How a Filmmaker Captured the History of The Culver Hotel on a Smartphone
Travel
Nov 17, 2020

How a Filmmaker Captured the History of The Culver Hotel on a Smartphone

With so many institutions — historic theaters, longstanding diners, favorite bars — closing left and right this year, it’s comforting to see stories of resilience.

Paid Content For Samsung
The Cardinal Rules of Cocktail-Mixing
Drink
Nov 12, 2020

The Cardinal Rules of Cocktail-Mixing

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they decide they want to make a better cocktail than whatever they used to drink in college.

How Kwame Onwuachi Became One of the Hottest Young Chefs in America
Eat
Aug 31, 2020

How Kwame Onwuachi Became One of the Hottest Young Chefs in America

The movie montage version of chef Kwame Onwuachi’s salad days would start in the Bronx, cut to Nigeria, cut back to New York, then Louisiana.

4 Drinks That Prove Cognac Was Made for Summer
Drink
Aug 10, 2020

4 Drinks That Prove Cognac Was Made for Summer

When windows fly open and air conditioners around the country whir into action, most people move their brown liquors to the back of the bar like jackets in a closet.

14 Ways to Volunteer in Chicago for Every Kind of Person
Lifestyle
Jun 3, 2020

14 Ways to Volunteer in Chicago for Every Kind of Person

Here’s how (and where) to give back in the Windy City.

Why Extreme Urban Farm Produce Will Be On All Menus Of The Future
News
Apr 8, 2019

Why Extreme Urban Farm Produce Will Be On All Menus Of The Future

Deep in the back of America’s industrial neighborhoods grows an agricultural revolution.

McDonald's Bacon Smokehouse Burger Is Our New Favorite Use Of Bacon
News
Jul 12, 2018

McDonald's Bacon Smokehouse Burger Is Our New Favorite Use Of Bacon

For the finale of a TV show, the second-to-last episode is spent building tension.

The Father's Day Gift Guide For The Cool Dads In Your Life
Lifestyle
Jun 4, 2018

The Father's Day Gift Guide For The Cool Dads In Your Life

Buying clothes for people you love is terrifying, especially if they’re at all particular about how they look (important: most people are).

Everything You Need to Do in Minneapolis During Super Bowl Week
Travel
Jan 19, 2018

Everything You Need to Do in Minneapolis During Super Bowl Week

Super Bowl LII takes place in Minneapolis, the land of Vikings, great beer & food, and mandatory pre-K hockey classes.