Many home cooks believe they need recipes to cook well. What’s the biggest myth about following recipes that you want to break?

There’s very few things that don’t work together. It’s more about context and quantity. Cooking has a scientific element, but for centuries, it was based on using what was available—not following a step-by-step recipe. The modern reliance on recipes contributes to food waste and limits creativity.

Recipes are great starting points, but in the real world, we need a different set of skills. Recipes don’t account for what you have on hand, seasonality, or the time constraints of daily life. Cooking is essential—it’s either done by us or for us—but no matter what, it’s work. Joyful work, maybe, but labor nonetheless. Instead of trying to eliminate that labor, we should focus on making it easier and more enjoyable.

How does Courageous Cooking push people to be more intuitive in the kitchen?

Courageous Cooking is about playing with ingredients you love. The biggest challenge with “local eating” is that when people see an unfamiliar ingredient, they don’t know what to do with it. That uncertainty leads to food waste—over 31% of our weekly groceries end up in the trash.

I don’t think anyone is truly an intuitive cook. We become knowledgeable over time, and then intuition kicks in. Courageous Cooking is about trusting yourself and learning the fundamentals—like how to properly sauté (hint: you should barely touch the pan). It’s about pairing ingredients you enjoy, experimenting, and building confidence through trial and error.

What are some simple ways home cooks can start trusting their instincts with food?

If you eat, you already know what you like. Pairing that natural enjoyment with solid techniques makes trusting instincts easier.

But I actually think instinct is the wrong word. Who first figured out that an artichoke was edible? No one had an instinct for that! It took testing and cultural knowledge over time. Cooking is the same. I rely on trial and error. If ingredients smell good together, they usually taste good together. That’s not instinct—that’s knowledge.

You’ve turned Julia Child’s former home into an immersive french cooking school—how did that come to be?

On November 13, 2015, I saw a New York Times listing for The House That Julia Built and was immediately captivated. The kitchen, the heart-shaped cutout shutters—it just pulled me in.

I sent a cold email to 15–20 people with the subject line: Wouldn’t it be cool to own Julia Child’s house? The responses ranged from wildly enthusiastic to politely dismissive. But a handful of people were intrigued. I immediately started drafting a business plan.

At first, it seemed like I was too late—the house had already sold. But later that same evening, the Bataclan attacks happened in Paris, and the sale fell through. I was even more determined to make it happen. Food is a bridge-builder, and something about this project wouldn’t let me go.

How does Julia Child’s spirit and approach to cooking live on at La Peetch?

Cooking at La Peetch is about embracing the unknown. Julia herself didn’t love uncertainty, but she did love experimenting with techniques that could fail.

We approach cooking with the same trial-and-error mindset that kids use when they throw a ball for the first time—it’s a little clumsy at first, but it leads to something exciting. That willingness to try (and fail) unlocks something almost otherworldly in the kitchen.

You talk about using all five senses when cooking. How can home cooks start doing this more?

Cooking is about engaging with your ingredients. If something smells good, use it. If it smells bad, let it go. If it looks delicious, buy it—even if you don’t know what it is yet.

What can home cooks learn from French markets, meal planning, and cooking culture?

French markets force you to cook seasonally. You don’t have access to every ingredient every day, and the French don’t stress over missing an item. They don’t drive to five stores to find fennel; they simply change course.

This adaptability is key to french cooking. Instead of rigidly sticking to a meal plan, you look at what’s available and figure out how to make it work.

Your upcoming cookbook, Mostly French, releases this April. How does it reflect your culinary philosophy?

Mostly French is exactly who I am. My daughter was born in France. I’ve lived here for nearly a quarter of my life. But I am not French… yet. Even if I get citizenship, I’m not sure I’ll ever fully be French. At the same time, I will never be fully American again either.

The book is about pairing classic French cooking techniques with unexpected flavors—something the French don’t typically do. (Cultural norms exist for a reason!) But for me, it works. It’s taken years of study and a lot of mistakes to get here.

If someone only has 10 minutes to cook something amazing, what’s your go-to strategy?

Cooking in 10 minutes is tough—but assembling something in 10 minutes? That’s magic. My 6-year-old is a pro at this. She takes chickpeas—neutral in flavor—and experiments with sauces. One ingredient is simple, but playing with what goes on it? That makes a meal. For adults, the same principle applies. Take two or three components, switch up the sauces or seasonings, and suddenly you’ve got a great salad, grain bowl, or quick dish.

You’re bringing AI into the kitchen with RecipeKick. How does AI help someone cook more intuitively?

AI won’t magically make people better cooks, but it can be an incredible tool for knowledge. It’s a sidekick, not a solution. For example, if someone stumbles on a cooking term, AI can provide real-time video explanations faster than a Google search. It bridges knowledge gaps and speeds up the learning process. But AI will never replace human touch. It can assist with recipes, but it won’t do the cooking for you—and honestly, I wouldn’t want it to.

Your career has spanned business, travel, and now food innovation—what’s been the most unexpected part of your journey?

I never had a career plan. When I was younger, my parents told me that the career I would have didn’t exist yet. They weren’t wrong. The biggest surprise? That I genuinely love what I do—and that I’m opening a restaurant. That was not on my career bingo card. But here I am.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone afraid to cook without a recipe, what would it be?

Start with a recipe—but play with it. Or, take three ingredients from your pantry that sound good together and search for recipes that use them. If you find a few well-reviewed options, that’s a sign your instincts were on the right track.