Julia Turshen

I've learned so many lessons throughout my career including that it's important to pay attention to what story you're telling and if you're the right one to tell it.

A book that I think is essential is Edna Lewis's The Taste of Country Cooking— read it to understand what a perfect cookbook reads like.

The skills I feel are most important to possess as a cookbook author are endless curiosity, organization, and attention to detail.

I find inspiration for my work everywhere.

To keep myself feeling inspired, motivated, and educated, I read a lot of other writing about food, I read a lot of things that have nothing to do with food, I pay attention to what people cook at home, I spend a lot of time in grocery stores, and I talk to friends in my industry constantly.

Food brings us together like nothing else and I want to provide as many tools as possible to facilitate community.

I keep on top of changes in the industry and popular ingredients by reading all of the time and keeping my eyes open.

The two things I can't live without to do my job are my laptop and my chef's knife.