January Meeting Information!
Mastermind for Food Writers dates and other important info
Hello everyone! With January right around the corner, I wanted to send out an email with the dates for next month’s meetings.
I hope last week was filled with some of your favorite people and plenty of delicious food. And happy new year to all of us! I have a good feeling about 2026, largely because of all of you.
Here’s what’s coming up in January
There are two 90-minute Mastermind Meetings this month in different time zones + a 60-minute Office Hours meeting. All meetings are held on Zoom.
Wednesday, January 7: Office Hours, 12pm New York (Eastern Standard Time) with host Chef Carla Contreras
Wednesday, January 14: Mastermind Meeting, 8am London (British Standard Time) with host Liza Debevec
Wednesday, January 21: Mastermind Meeting, 11am New York (Eastern Standard time with host Rebecca Blackwell
Plus, join us for a rescheduled Substack LIVE on Monday, January 12: Mastering the Art of Loosing Subscribers, A Substack LIVE discussion with Rebecca Blackwell and Liza Debevec, 11am Eastern Standard Time/ 4pm GMT/5pm CET
Office Hours
Join us Wednesday, January 7, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time for Office Hours. Come as you are, bring what you’re working on, and choose your own adventure for how you want to show up that day.
What is Office Hours: It’s a way to get feedback, work through blocks, and spend time with people who get what you’re creating. Whether you’re refining your Substack, working on something specific, or need a focused window to work, this space is for you!
Who Office Hours is for: People actively building or working on something for your Substack: Writing, recipe development, or perhaps, something in the backend of your publication like your welcome emails, about page or starting Notes.
How to join:
Wednesday, January 7, at 12:00 p.m. New York (Eastern Standard Time) Meeting hosted by Chef Carla Contreras of Nourishing Creativity
Sign up with this link to register for this month’s Office Hours. Bonus: There is no recording to catch up on, this meeting is held live.
Note: You must be a registered Zoom user to sign up for this meeting. After you register for office hours, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone. Need support? DM Chef Carla Contreras
Mastermind for Food Writers Europe, Africa, AsiaPacific
Meeting topic information coming soon!
Wednesday, January 14th: 8am, London (British Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Liza Debevec
Follow this link to register for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/kbU9BHJXRDijRBXY8rk0xA#/
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.
Mastermind for Food Writers, North America
Meeting topic: The 5-Minute Magazine Pitch Makeover: Fixing Common Mistakes That Cost You Assignments + How to find a writing schedule that works for you
Wednesday, January 21st: 11am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Rebecca Blackwell
Follow this link to register for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PLNMD5k2RIueEiHSTv-Jgw
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.
Upcoming Mastermind Meeting Dates
For those of you who like to plan ahead, here are the dates for February!
Wednesday, February 4: Office Hours 12pm, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Wednesday, February 11: 8am, London (British Standard Time)
Wednesday, February 18: 11am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Upcoming Mastermind Meeting Topics
Building community beyond the platform
Creating a newsletter template, including useful tools, to make writing & sharing less stressful
Booking Food TV Lifestyle Segments; how to book, how to prepare and why you should promote your food content via this medium
How to bring your readers on a journey from finding you to buying your book/monetizing your content
Links and Resources!
If you’d like to volunteer to teach a mini-masterclass at an upcoming Mastermind Meeting, please sign up here!
If you’re not listed in the Directory, leave a comment on the Directory with your name and publication and I’ll get you added!
Community Resources: A revolving list of resources from food writers for food writers
Collaboration Network: Find other substack food writers to collaborate with
The Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to connect with other food writers on Substack.
About your meeting hosts
Rebecca Blackwell is a writer, recipe developer and food photographer who publishes two recipe websites and a Substack newsletter. Her and her husband are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. Rebecca write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure.
Liza Debevec is a social anthropologist, African studies specialist, and coach. She writes two Substack publications that bring together her love of stories, food, languages, and personal growth. Originally from Slovenia, Liza now lives in Lisbon, Portugal, after many years in Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and other corners of the world. Her work is inspired by the ways people connect through meals, words, and meaningful conversations.
Chef Carla Contreras is a food creative, content strategist, and the host of the Nourishing Creativity podcast. When she is not working 1:1 with her clients, recording an episode of the podcast, or food styling, you can catch her going to the farmer’s market with her family, doing Pilates, or sipping ceremonial cacao.
As always, please let me know if you have questions or suggestions!
Happy New Year, Rebecca. Thank you for all the work.