When I was fired from my 5+ year talent acquisition job at Facebook in March ‘23, I knew immediately that I wanted to focus on my writing and recipe development. The question was - how? And to be honest, I am still asking myself that question every day and kicking myself for not starting all of this (*gestures around this virtual room*) sooner.
The pandemic would have been a great time to start. But also, timelines are made up, and we can only look forward.
I figured one great way to start down this new career path, which is quite as over-saturated a market as tech recruiting, could be to get a job at a popular local winery. I was sure that working in a winery tasting room would allow me to meet the right people in F&B.
And sure enough, my second week on the job proved this to be true. I had a 3-top at my bar consisting of a stylish man with flawless skin visiting from Manhattan (stylish man? great skin? Of course - Manhattan) to take his parents wine tasting for Mother’s Day.
I gave my usual spiel about which food I’d pair with each wine, and the man asked me if I worked in the food industry. Wish raised eyebrows, I said, “Yes, I’m trying to; why…who are you?” He laughed and said, “I’m the Head of People at Apartment Therapy Media, who owns the Kitchn. We should connect!”
And there you have it. Sometimes, it really is the people you meet. Long story long, we exchanged emails, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I was added to the freelance roster for the Kitchn shortly thereafter. When I got the email looking for summer pitches, I pitched this mojo verde recipe, which was inspired by Towpath Cafe in London. I was thrilled when it got picked up a few weeks later.
I learned so much from publishing my first professional recipe. I was engrossed in the type of “deep focus” work that I had heard of but had never personally experienced myself until I embarked on this new career path. Before I knew it, four hours had gone by, and I had tested the recipe three times and written a complete first draft of both the recipe and the headnotes.
All three of my editors at The Kitchn are incredible, talented people whose work I now admire and follow closely. After this recipe finally came out (on my birthday! A sign from the universe if there ever was one), I sent a handwritten thank-you note to Brian, the aforementioned NYC gentleman.
What has surprised me the most about “going pro” with recipe development is how the timelines are always a quarter ahead. Just a few days after my mojo verde recipe came out, I was naively surprised to see another email from my editor asking for October pitches! I thought to myself, “October, in July?!”
But that’s the name of the game. That’s the editorial calendar. I couldn’t really think of any fall recipes, as I usually find inspiration in what I see in the markets, so learning how to think 1 to 2 seasons ahead is a skill I am trying to hone.
Anyway, I’m proud of myself. Here is my recipe for mojo verde on the Kitchn. It was featured in the Kitchn’s Top 31 Ideas of What to Cook This August and Our 10 Most Popular Recipes of July.