Today on the Cookbook Love Podcast, I am honored to welcome Pyet Despain, a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribe, award-winning global private chef, and the first winner of Gordon Ramsay's groundbreaking competition series Next Level Chef. Pyets's life and work are rooted in Indigenous fusion cuisine, where she weaves together the food traditions of her Native American and Mexican heritage. Through her cooking, storytelling, and travel, Pyet is dedicated to uplifting Indigenous culture and honoring the traditions passed down through generations.

Originally from the Osage Indian Reservation in Kansas City, Kansas, Pyet now resides in Los Angeles, California, where she continues to share her culinary voice with the world. Her beautiful new book, Rooted in Fire, reflects her journey, her heritage, and her deep respect for food as a cultural and spiritual expression.

In today's conversation Pyet shares:

• The story behind Rooted in Fire, who the book is for, and what inspired her to bring this project to life.

• Her journey from idea to finished book, the message she hopes cooks and bakers will take away, and how her work connects food, identity, and tradition.

• The book's structure, including its table of contents, key themes in the chapters, and several recipes you can try at home, allows you to experience the flavors and stories of Indigenous cuisine in your own kitchen.

Things We Mention In This Episode: Rooted in Fire and Pyet's Plate.com Columbiana by Mariana Velasquez

In today's episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Michael P. Foley, Catholic theologian, professor, and author of Abstaining with the Saints. Michael is best known for his beloved Drinking with the Saints series, and in this new book, he turns his attention to alcohol-free celebrations that are just as meaningful, festive, and rooted in the liturgical year. Abstaining with the Saints offers nearly 200 thoughtfully crafted mocktail recipes, along with alcohol-free beer, wine, and spirit suggestions that align with Catholic feast days and seasons. Each recipe is paired with stories and facts about the saints, creating a joyful way to honor the Church calendar without alcohol.

In our conversation, we explore:

• Why Michael felt called to create a non-alcoholic companion to Drinking with the Saints

• How mocktails can support sober, "soberish," and alcohol-free lifestyles

• The role of saints and celebration in Catholic life

• How food and drink can deepen our connection to family, faith, tradition, and community

• Who this book is for, and how it can serve families, parishes, and individuals alike

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Abstaining with the Saints The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook

Welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today, I have a fun episode called the Ins and Outs for 2026. This episode was inspired by the Ins and Outs list I did last year and focuses on things I did in 2025 that I want to do again, and new stuff I want to try. The outs are things I don't want to bring forward into the new year that no longer serve me, or don't help me live the life I want to live, or that use my precious time and life thinking, feeling, or doing.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Sign up here for my email list all about writing, publishing, habits, and writing routines.

Hello and Happy New Year to everyone! Welcome to 2026 and to a new year of podcast episodes. Today, we kick off the new year with a brand new episode with registered dietitian, naturopath doctor, and intuitive eating counselor Jenn Huber. Jenn is the author of Eating to Thrive During Menopause, and on today's show, we talk all about:

• How not being able to use HRT prompted Jenn to learn about nutrition and menopause

• Jenn's experience writing a nutrition cookbook that isn't a diet book

• The "5 Key Ingredients" framework and how it shaped the recipes

• Starting 2026 with a non-diet resolution

Things We Mention in This Episode:

Connect with Jenn Huber

Download Cookbook Author Platform Checklist

Hello and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings to all! Today I share a message of peace and our shared love of cookbooks.

For this special holiday episode, I share some holiday cookbook recommendations, a wintertime story, and the music of Daniel Kantor and the St. Olaf Choir.

Things We Mention in This Episode:

Advent: Festive German Bakes

Christmas at River Cottage

The Way of the Wolf: The Gospel in New Images by Martin Bell

Night of Silence by Daniel Kantor

Today, I'm delighted to welcome Gesine Bullock-Prado to the podcast. Gesine is a pastry chef, cookbook author, and television personality whose work is rooted in an approachable, farm-to-table way of cooking and living. She is the owner of Sugar Glider Kitchen and the author of the beautiful new cookbook, My Harvest Kitchen.

In this conversation, we talk about Gesine's embrace of homesteading, her philosophy of what she calls The Gentle Harvest, and the rhythms of cooking in step with the seasons. We move through My Harvest Kitchen chapter by chapter, exploring the ideas, recipes, and sensibility behind the book to capture the flavor, intention, and feeling of Gesine's harvest kitchen.

• Gesine Bullock-Prado's work as a pastry chef, cookbook author, and homesteader

• The philosophy behind The Gentle Harvest

• How homesteading influences everyday kitchen decisions

• A chapter-by-chapter look at My Harvest Kitchen

• Savoring the seasons through thoughtful, approachable cooking

Things We Mention in This Episode:

Cookbook Author Platform Checklist

Connect with Gesine Bullock-Prado

Today, I am excited to have an interview with Laura Klynstra. Laura Klynstra is a senior art director for Revell Books and a freelance graphic designer and photographer. Previously, she worked as an art director at Hyperion Books and at HarperCollins Publishers in New York City. She is the author of The Homemade Pie Cookbook: 100 Pie, Tart, and Galette Recipes for Every Season.

On the show today, we:

• Dive into cookbook art direction for traditional publishing and self-published books

• Laura's journey from idea to published cookbook

• Three parts to every pie and tops for pie baking

• Discussion of pies perfect for winter- and Christmas/Holiday-time.

Things We Mention in This Episode:

Cookbook Author Platform Checklist

Connect with Laura Klynstra

Today on the podcast, I'm joined by Diane Kochilas. Diane is a New York Times Bestselling Author and host of five seasons of the acclaimed PBS show My Greek Table. In her new book, Athens: Food, Stories, Love, Diane takes readers on a culinary tour of Greece's most-visited city: Athens.

Having lived in Athens for over thirty years, Diane has witnessed enormous social and culinary changes all around her. Today, the kitchens of Athens overflow with new creative energy while international ingredients fill the markets. Culinary influences on the Athenian table from around the globe are well-represented with recipes for French-inspired croissants, Italian twists on Greek classics, and Greek-Mex twists on beloved gigantes beans.

As one of the most recognized voices for Greek Cuisine, Diane and I talk about:

• Her role as a cultural storyteller and teacher of Greek cuisine

• Her career is writing books and doing her TV show

• The sources for how she collects stories and recipes for her books

• And of course, all about her new book Athens, from the plant-forward approach to cooking and the spirit of Greek hospitality found in a Taverna.

Things We Mention in This Episode:

Cookbook Author Platform Checklist

Connect with Diane Kochilas

Today on the podcast, I'm joined by Rachel Riggs, author of In Good Health. As a former specialty food shop owner, Rachel's life dramatically changed due to chronic illness. Refocusing her work toward healing, she started developing anti-inflammatory recipes rooted in her California sensibilities.

Rachel now lives with limited stamina and, despite that, wrote her cookbook with a focus on celebrating what's possible, flavorful, and aligned with her healing. Her mission is to inspire readers to transform their health and well-being through modern, vibrant food that excites the senses, rejuvenates the palate, and liberates readers from outdated habits.

In Good Health features over 75 recipes designed for those with chronic illness, dietary restrictions, or anyone craving nutrient-dense, grounding, everyday food. Ingredients lists are short, prep times are reasonable, and each recipe includes a photo to guide readers with clarity and confidence.

In This Episode We Talk About:

• How Rachel approaches cooking by celebrating what's included, not what's missing

• The art and challenge of baking with almond flour and maple syrup

• What it means to create dishes from scratch rather than adapting traditional recipes

• Her message for cooks and bakers navigating new dietary needs or chronic illness

• Why she encourages writers to create organically, long before a book deal

Rachel's story is a powerful reminder that creativity and nourishment can flourish even in seasons of limitation. You can write a cookbook and rebuild a meaningful cooking life from exactly where you are.

Things We Mention in This Episode:

Cookbook Author Platform Checklist

Rachel Riggs In Good Health

Today on the show, I'm joined by Michele Pettinger, a certified running coach, fitness nutrition specialist, and functional nutrition counselor. As the owner of P3Running, Michelle blends run coaching with nutrition education for athletes of all ages, helping young runners understand how food supports performance, recovery, and long-term well-being.

However, before we begin, I'd like to share a free resource with you. If you are a food, nutrition, or culinary pro and you want to share your expertise in a published cookbook, one thing a publisher will want you to have is a platform. This is your visibility in the marketplace. If you would like some guidance on what a platform is, why you should have one, and some tips on building one, head on over to cookbookwritersacademy.com/platform for a complimentary checklist download.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Michele's journey from idea to publication of her new book: The Young Runner's Guide to Nutrition.

• How she shaped her concept that connects nutrition science with workable recipes

• Why she wrote this book for young athletes, their parents, and coaches?

• Her writing process, the resources she leaned on, and the systems she built to stay organized

• Insights about building a platform, and not letting social media metrics distract you from your mission.

Whether you're a runner, a cook, a baker, an athlete, or an aspiring author, Michele's story is a powerful reminder that writing a book is a race built on one day, one habit, one recipe, one chapter at a time.

Things We Mention in This Episode:

Cookbook Author Platform Checklist

Michele Pettinger P3 Running