Welcome to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast.

In this episode, I'm sharing something personal. There's a lot of conversation right now about AI. How to use it, how to move faster, how to generate more. And while I do use it in certain ways, I've found myself coming back to something very different that is not faster or more.

In this episode, I walk you through the rhythm I've developed to support how I think, write, and cook. These are simple practices I return to every day and every week, not as a system, but as a way of staying connected to my work. Over time, this rhythm has helped me think more clearly, make decisions more easily, and stay present in the process of writing.

If you've been feeling scattered, stuck, or disconnected from your cookbook project, this episode will give you a grounded place to return to.

• The daily practices that help me think clearly

• What supports creative thinking and decision-making

• The role of daily and weekly rhythms in staying creatively fueled

• What it looks like to build a rhythm that supports your work

In the end, writing a cookbook and running a business isn't just about the book or the business. It's about your life while you create while working on and in them.

If you want help turning your ideas into a cookbook—and getting paid to do it— join our waitlist for the next cohort of Get Paid to Get Published.

In this episode, I'm joined by chef, author, and vintage curator Spring Council to talk about her beautiful new book Southern Roots. Spring spent over 50 years working in her family's restaurant, Mama Dip's Kitchen, where she learned firsthand how food creates connection, community, and lasting memories. In our conversation, we talk about how that experience shaped her cookbook — from the stories she tells to the recipes she creates — and what it really looks like to bring a book like this to life.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What "Mama Dip's University" taught her about food, people, and hospitality

• How Southern Roots blends storytelling with recipes

• Her path through writing, rejection, and finding her voice

• How she develops recipes that honor tradition while making them her own

• The role of community in both her restaurant life and her cookbook

If you love cookbooks that feel personal, meaningful, and grounded in real experience, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.

If you want help turning your ideas into a cookbook—and getting paid to do it— join our waitlist for the next cohort of Get Paid to Get Published

Welcome to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast. Today I'm excited to have an interview with Hannah Dasher. Hannah is a country music artist, creator, and author of Stand By Your Pan.

Hannah built a loyal audience during quarantine by sharing nostalgic, personality-filled cooking videos—and has now turned that visibility into a cookbook rooted in Southern food, storytelling, and style.

In this conversation, we talk about how her online presence shaped her book, the recipes and traditions behind it, and the practical techniques that bring her cooking to life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Hannah's TikTok content grew into a cookbook

• Building a cooking brand through personality and nostalgia

• Recipes inspired by family, viral moments, and Southern traditions

• Stock your kitchen (bones, fats, and fresh ingredients)

• Practical cooking tips—from tomato pie to fried chicken livers to ham stock

• Why preserving recipes and food traditions still matters

If you've ever wondered how audience, voice, and recipes come together in a cookbook, this episode gives you a real example.

If you want help turning your ideas into a cookbook—and getting paid to do it— join our waitlist for the next cohort of Get Paid to Get Published

What if your cookbook idea doesn't match your profession? In this episode, I'm talking about one of the most common and costly questions I hear from aspiring cookbook authors, especially experts like dietitians, chefs, and health professionals. Many people assume their cookbook needs to match their credentials. That it should sound serious, clinical, or highly technical to be taken seriously. But publishing doesn't work that way.

Publishers are not buying credentials alone. They're looking for ideas readers care about and that often comes from something much more personal. In this episode, I share my own experience navigating this tension as a trained dietitian who wanted to write about seasonal home cooking in Kentucky. I also walk you through how cookbook deals actually work, and why the most compelling books combine both authority and humanity.

If you've been holding back on a cookbook idea because it doesn't feel "professional enough," this episode will give you a new way to think about it. In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why do so many experts feel pressure to write the "right" kind of book
• What publishers are actually looking for when they acquire cookbooks
• The three common paths cookbook deals follow
• Why passion creates reader connection in a way that credentials alone can't
• How to combine your expertise with a story readers care about
  
  

Your credentials matter. But they're not the whole story. The book you're meant to write might be the one you've been telling yourself you shouldn't.

If you want to prepare your deal-ready pitch package and get paid to write a cookbook, join our waitlist for the next cohort of Get Paid to Get Published

Many aspiring cookbook authors believe they need a huge social media following before a publisher will take them seriously. But in traditional publishing, follower count alone is not what gets a cookbook deal.

In this episode, I talk about what publishers are really looking for when they ask about your platform. They want to know whether you have real relationships with people who know you, trust you, engage with your work, and are likely to buy your book. I also share why writing, conversation, and proof of engagement matter so much more than chasing random followers.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why follower count alone is not enough

• What publishers really want to know about your audience

• How to identify the people already in your world who would buy your book

• Why writing and relationship-building are essential for becoming a paid cookbook author

If you've been feeling behind because your audience is not huge, this episode will help you focus on what actually matters.

If you want to get paid to write a cookbook, join our waitlist for the next cohort of Get Paid to Get Published

Most people think the outcome of writing a cookbook is the finished book, but I've seen something much bigger happen along the way. In this episode, I explore what really happens when we choose a meaningful creative challenge like writing a cookbook.

Many cookbook writers I work with are already successful professionals: chefs, dietitians, coaches, and entrepreneurs who decide to write a book not because they have to, but because the work matters to them. I share the unexpected benefits I've seen from writing a cookbook, including identity shifts, creative discipline, professional credibility, community, and new opportunities.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why writing a cookbook is a chosen challenge
• How creative projects activate your agency and identity
• Why hard work doesn't have to feel miserable
• The deeper benefits that come from finishing a creative project

Whether you're writing a cookbook, building a food business, or starting another creative project, this episode will help you see the deeper transformation that can happen when you commit to creating something meaningful.

If you want to get paid to write a cookbook, join our waitlist for the next cohort of Cookbooks on KDP.

Welcome to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast.

Today I'm excited to share a conversation with Helen Goh, the author of the beautiful new cookbook Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes.

Helen is widely known for her work as a recipe developer with Yotam Ottolenghi, co-authoring the New York Times bestselling books Sweet and Comfort. In this episode, we talk about her debut solo cookbook and the deeper meaning behind baking.

Helen brings a unique perspective to the kitchen. In addition to her acclaimed baking work, she also maintains a psychotherapy practice. In her new book, she blends these two worlds—sharing not only wonderful recipes, but also reflections on why baking matters and how it can bring joy and meaning to everyday life.

Drawing on her upbringing in Malaysia and Australia, as well as years of developing recipes with Ottolenghi, Helen shares both sweet and savory bakes that celebrate creativity, connection, and nourishment.

• Helen's journey from recipe developer to writing her first solo cookbook
• Her collaboration with Yotam Ottolenghi and what she learned along the way
• The inspiration behind Baking and the Meaning of Life
• How baking adds meaning to everyday moments
• Why baking is about more than survival. It's about joy and connection
• Highlights from the table of contents and some of the recipes in the book
• Tips, techniques, and baking insights from Helen's years in professional kitchens

Want to Get Paid to Write Your Cookbook?

If you're dreaming about writing a cookbook, you might assume you need to finish the entire manuscript before approaching publishers.

But in traditional publishing, cookbook authors are often paid an advance before they write the book.

In my Get Paid to Write a Cookbook Masterclass, I teach the step-by-step process for positioning your cookbook idea so publishers can invest in it.

You'll learn:

• How traditional cookbook deals actually work
• What publishers are looking for in cookbook ideas
• The path to pitching a cookbook proposal with confidence

Register here for the masterclass.

Many aspiring cookbook authors believe they need to finish writing their book before pitching it to publishers. It sounds logical — but it often leads to years of uncertainty, backtracking, and stalled momentum.

In this episode, Maggie explains why traditional cookbook publishing is a process, not a guessing game, and how clarity — not a finished manuscript — is what leads to a book deal and an advance.

You'll learn:

• why publishers buy concepts, positioning, and authors — not finished manuscripts
• how lack of clarity creates hesitation for agents and editors
• the hidden trap of writing first and pitching later
• what it means to become a deal-ready cookbook author
• the three essentials needed to pursue a traditional cookbook deal

If you've been thinking, "I'll finish the book and figure out publishing later," this episode will help you see a clearer path forward.

👉 Register for the free masterclass: Get Paid to Write a Cookbook
and learn the step-by-step path to position your cookbook for a traditional deal and get paid before you write.