We are a nation of mac & cheese lovers. Whether you’re using a plastic cup in the microwave, cheese dust from a packet, or cooking it from scratch, you’ve probably made this classic comfort food at least once. But have you ever made the ultimate version?

I started making mac & cheese when I was five with help from the blue box. I’ve come a long way since then, cooking other people’s recipes and experimenting with my own. For this article, I consulted with Clare Malfitano, chef at Murray’s Cheese, to get her unique perspective. Here are my top tips for how to make the best mac & cheese of your life—because sometimes the boxed stuff just isn’t good enough.

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