This week, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Paula Mohammed from In My Kitchen with Paula. Paula and I share a love of good food, connection, and exploring different cultures.

Paula told me all about how she started In My Kitchen back in 2018 to bring people together and celebrate traditional recipes. We also talked about her podcast, where she shares amazing culinary stories from cooks all over the world. One of my favorite parts of our chat was hearing how online cooking experiences unexpectedly took off during the pandemic—and how food continues to be such a powerful way to connect.

We got into everything from the joy of learning from passionate home cooks, to navigating cultural appropriation in the kitchen, to dreaming up future online classes we’d love to co-host. I can’t wait for you to hear this one—it’s all about food as a bridge, and the magic that happens when we gather around a meal.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:12 Paula's Podcast Journey
02:20 Cultural Connections Through Food
03:33 Challenges and Pivots
05:34 Exploring Iranian Culture
08:10 Food as a Cultural Bridge
21:17 Building Connections Through Virtual Classes
23:11 The Joy of Cooking Together Online
25:51 Acts of Kindness and Culinary Stories
29:38 Cultural Appreciation in Cooking
36:16 Final Thoughts and Community Engagement

You can find Paula at www.exploreinmykitchen.com

pod on all major platforms:  inmykitchenwithpaula

IG:  @inmykitchenpaula

• Follow Christine Van Bloem on Instagram @theemptynestkitchen and on Facebook @emptynestkitchen
• Learn more about Menopause Meal Plans
• Sign up for my FREE 10 Essential Tools for the Empty Nest Kitchen