Hi there,
A new Salt + Spine episode is here, but first: The culinary world has lost several iconic figures in recent weeks and we want acknowledge those who have left an lasting mark on our kitchens and our culture.
Earlier this month, we lost Nathalie Dupree, one of the most influential voices in Southern cuisine, whose work helped redefine the cuisine for a modern generation. As Kim Severson notes in this obituary for the New York Times, Nathalie authored 15 cookbooks throughout her varied and busy career. Her impact on celebrating the history and traditions of Southern cuisine is immeasurable, and no doubt her work will continue to influence generations of chefs and cookbook authors.
We also mourn the loss of beloved San Francisco chef Charles Phan, whose restaurant, The Slanted Door, became a San Francisco institution and showcased the beauty and complexity of Vietnamese cuisine. Charles authored two cookbooks: Vietnamese Home Cooking and The Slanted Door Cookbook. Many of us remember his warmth and generosity; last summer, at our first Cookbook Fest, Charles dropped by unannounced—he wasn’t on the program and didn’t have a formal role in the event, but his spirit and enthusiasm for supporting his fellow chefs were contagious.
And just this week, we learned of the passing of celebrated New Orleans photographer and writer Pableaux Johnson. Those from every corner of the food world, from chefs to journalists, knew and loved Pableaux—for his photography, his infectious enthusiasm for New Orleans food and culture, and his desire to bring people together over countless bowls of red beans and rice, from his weekly dinners at home to his Red Beans and Rice Road Show.
We’re reflecting on these incredible legacies this week—please feel free to share your own memories in the comments below.
–Brian
Episode 168: Sohla El-Waylly
This week, Sohla El-Waylly joins us to #TalkCookbooks! I was so thrilled to have Sohla join us in studio for a chat about her career and her debut cookbook, Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook.
In this episode, we hear from Sohla about her childhood, growing up in the San Fernando Valley and watching her mother prepare elaborate, multi-course Bengladeshi dinners for dozens (sometimes hundreds) at a time. And despite a phase as a picky eater, Sohla realized early on that she enjoyed working with her hands—from building furniture (lots of clocks!) to, eventually, cooking.
After culinary school and working in fine dining kitchens, Sohla found herself gravitating towards food media, working first with Serious Eats and then Bon Appetit. While not her initial career objective, Sohla has carved a space in the competitive food media world, celebrated for her on-camera work and creative approach to culinary history.
With her cookbook Start Here, Sohla created a playful-but-informative tome (600+ pages!) that emphasizes teaching culinary techniques for both sweet and savory cooking. And she’s intentionally done so in a way that many such technique-driven cookbooks before it haven’t: by rejecting the notion that European culinary technique are supreme, ensuring the book includes recipes from a wide range of cuisines and diets.
🎙️ | We had a great chat with Sohla—and of course, we put her to the test in our signature culinary game! Find this episode here on Substack and anywhere you get your podcasts.
Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-Waylly
Change the way you think about cooking! In this epic guide to better eating, the chef, recipe developer, and video producer Sohla El-Waylly reimagines what a cookbook can be, teaching home cooks of all skill levels how cooking really works.
A practical, information-packed, and transformative guide to becoming a better cook and conquering the kitchen, Start Here is a must-have master class in leveling up your cooking.
Across a dozen technique-themed chapters—from “Temperature Management 101” and “Break it Down & Get Saucy” to “Go to Brown Town,” “All About Butter,” and “Getting to Know Dough”—Sohla El-Waylly explains the hows and whys of cooking, introducing the fundamental skills that you need to become a more intuitive, inventive cook.
We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Start Here here:
This week, subscribers will receive the following featured recipe from Start Here:
Creamy Lemon Bars with Brown Butter Crust
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