Photo: Julia Franke
Hello! I’m Charlotte. Food is my full-time occupation, and this is my space to share my recipes, news and travels with you. I spend most of my time writing cookery books, and I’m currently working on my fifth title. I am represented by the Clare Hulton Literary Agency. In addition to my own books, I also undertake a small amount of ghostwriting work for other leading authors. I also blog regularly for HELLO! Magazine.com and occasionally write articles for other publications.
My most recent book, FERMENTED, has been shortlisted for the highly prestigious 2015 André Simon Award. It was published by Kyle Books worldwide in August 2015. I’m busy writing the next book currently. I started off writing cookbooks with a three book deal in 2013 to write the bestselling Hungry Student Cookbook series, which are also sold worldwide.
Cooking and writing about food is my job, so I set up this blog in 2010 to share with you what I’m cooking at home and what I’m up to aside from my published work. I want to share with you my passion for good, seasonal, uncomplicated home cooking using the very best ingredients I can source. I love to make delicious, nourishing seasonally influenced dishes to enjoy every day at home, often with something special on the table at weekends, or to share with friends. You’ll find plenty of baking here too, as this is one of my greatest culinary loves.
I like to travel extensively, so you’ll find a number of my Foodie Guides to cities and regions I’ve visited on the blog, which feature my favourite places to visit. I learn so much on my travels, which really helps to influence my repertoire.
I am an experienced cook and have completed a number of professional courses at top cookery schools both in the UK and internationally, but I have also undertaken the 12 week certificate course at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. It was one of the hardest but best things I’ve ever done. You can read about my experiences here.
I thought I could cook before I went. And I could – I wrote three cookery books before I went. But Ballymaloe really did elevate my cooking to a whole new level. It also heightened my concern for ingredients and their quality and provenance. It was an experience that really underlined the difference between what is good food and what is really good food. This has been both a blessing and a curse. I feel fortunate to be able to appreciate the very best food available, and to be able to cook it myself. But I also can’t tolerate mediocre food. Which sadly, is what is so widely available. Good food is not just about expensive food. It’s about using the very best seasonal ingredients you can find, treating them with some love and care, and making the time to enjoy some truly delicious food every day.
I’m an Executive Chef and Tutor at a small number of top UK cookery schools, where I love to share my knowledge and passion for cooking on a regular basis. I sometimes run some guest-chef sessions at other cookery schools, and my own private cookery courses all over the UK. For more details, please see here.
Before changing career to work in full-time food writing, I worked at two large American financial institutions, a world-renowned auction house and a national carrier airline.
