I've come to appreciate the amount of care and effort that goes into a good traditional meal. However, since I may never have the efficiency that my mom has in the kitchen (I don’t think baklava from scratch is in my immediate future, sorry mom!), I mostly gravitate towards meals that are simple, delicious, and approachable. I find myself inspired by people who take the familiar fresh ingredients and combinations I use all the time and introduce a new twist, making even the simplest meals feel fresh and exciting again; so here are some of my favorite accounts that make me excited to turn on the stove:
Being a professional chef based in Chicago, with his creative and laid-back energy, Chuck makes complex recipes look so easy and fun (can't not give his song choices on TikTok a shoutout as well)! On top of his videos and recipes on Substack, you can find him doing Friday night dinners with wife Hailee Catalano, who is also a great chef.
Some of my favorite accounts to follow aren’t typical recipe accounts, but with simple ingredients and good combinations they don’t need to be. I always leave scrolling through their posts craving some good eggs & improvisational platters. If you are just like me, thinking of breakfast before you sleep, check them out!
Not having any culinary experience, Anna and Kevin document their dinners from their phones, constantly experimenting with new recipes and learning along the way. Their creative backgrounds are shown on their website, which I always enjoy visiting for new recipes and more.
This account is my recommendation for people who had a massive baking addiction during quarantine that kept on making bread. On top of always succeeding good pastry recipes, I also enjoy other familiar Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes on their website.