June Meeting Dates
Monday, May 25, 2026
Hello everyone!
Here’s what’s happening in Mastermind For Food Writers this week!
June Mastermind meeting Dates and Registration
Two different meetings in two different time zones every month.
North American and Europe Meeting: Wednesday, June 10 at 11am EST.
Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific Meeting: Wednesday, June 17 at 8am GMT
Mastermind for Food Writers: North America & Europe
This month’s topic will be all about Food Photography. Jessie-Sierra; The Last Bite, Shelly Waldman, and I will explore how light, shadow, color, texture, styling, composition, and human elements can shape the story a photo tells.
Wednesday, June 10: 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/DwvkWKkOQC-zfj-qz5BLYg
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: Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific
Meeting topic: General discussion - but you can always volunteer to teach - do get in touch if you have a topic
DATE: June 17: 8am BST / 9 am CET
Meeting hosted by Liza Debevec
Follow this link to register for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6dkmrvP4RFeYBZzv3q9loA
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.
Please register a day in advance if possible, to make sure you get the meeting link on time and to avoid ‘waiting at the door’.
Free Class Recordings Available Now
Last week, Betty Williams, Kelsey Erin Shipman and I, taught a free class in Write Up about Creative Recipe Writing and how to write recipes with voice, humor, and story. If you weren’t able to join us, the recording is now available!
If this free class sparkes ideas for your own recipe writing, we’d love to invite you to join us for the next Food Writers’ Business Lab: Creative Recipe Writing: How to Write Recipes with Voice, Humor, and Story. In this two-part lab, we’ll go deeper into how food writers can bring more humor, story, and point of view into their recipes without sacrificing clarity or usefulness. The first session will be a recorded instructional workshop with homework, and the second session will be a hands-on workshop where each attendee will receive personalized feedback on their own writing, discuss roadblocks and challenges, and get their questions answered.
Your $99 registration includes both live sessions: Wednesday, June 4 and Wednesday, June 18, from 12:00–1:30 PM CDT. You can learn more and register here:
Creating a Values Led Brand Replay
A couple of weeks ago I taught a free class over in The Food Writers Business Lab about what it means to create a values led brand. The class was an introduction to a comprehensive 2-part workshop Liza Debevec and I are teaching in June.
If you missed it, here’s the replay. And, if this topic resonates with you and you want to dive in and get to work creating a values led brand for YOUR business, join Liza and I for this hands-on workshop in June: Creating a Values Led Brand.
Have you registered for the first Food Readers Book Club Meeting?
I started reading the first selection for the book club this week, Around the Table by Diana Henry, and it’s so good! I can’t wait to hear all of YOUR thoughts about the book in the first book club meeting on June 3rd. If you’ve not yet registered, here’s where you’ll find all the information…
Available now in the Food Writers Business Lab
SEO: How To Build a Bridge From Your Work To Your Readers
This week will wrap up the first SEO workshop offered in The Food Writers Business Lab. The workshop dives some of the most important concepts including how to think about SEO as a layered approach and how to create an SEO strategy that works for you!
Participants received a 28 page workbook and clear, step-by-step instructions for how to build their own personal SEO strategy - a strategy that is practical and connects directly to their business goals and their bottom line.
If you weren’t able to join us for the live workshop, the recording is now available to purchase at half price the LIVE workshop! You’ll receive the entire two-hour class + the full 28-page workbook!
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 career/life 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.