Coffee Breaks are 30-ish minute chats over Substack LIVE with the paid members of this community. It’s a chance to learn more about them and their work and talk about some of the real challenges and opportunities as a food writer today.
I learned so many interesting things about Shell in this conversation, including that she gets grumpy when she hasn’t baked in a while, and when her life doesn’t include writing, she misses it so much it’s like she’s missing a limb.
Baking and writing are her lifeblood, and she’s created a career that is centered on both. This alone is inspiring to me because isn’t that what we all want?
We talked about the relationship between her technical brain and her creative brain, the massive amount of editing that baking and writing require, and the pleasure she finds in disappearing into that work for a while.
We also dove into her process for coming up with inspiring and unique flavor combinations and how she manages the many iterations required to get a recipe just right. She talked about baking with her children, how she’s learning to step back and give their creativity room to bloom, and the pure pleasure of a few hours in the kitchen all to herself.
Shell is a master baker, writer, and photographer, and it was so fun getting to take this peek behind the curtain and learn so much about her work and her life.
About Shell
Shell Plant is a patisserie trained baker, food photographer and former journalist/comms professional who lives in the London area with her husband and their two children. Shell’s newsletter, Bake Experiments, is a masterclass in baking and a treasure trove of magical, delicious looking treats for those of us who love to bake.
I love Shell’s flavor combinations and the teaching focus of her newsletter. She shares the work behind a recipe, showing us the experiments and many iterations behind every recipe she publishes. You do not need to wonder if Shell’s recipes are well tested. She shows you that they are.
Beyond baking, Shell is a shy-and-sassy delight (with the most beautiful tattoo I’ve ever seen) and I can’t wait to talk with her.
The goal of Mastermind for Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab isn’t simply to gather more information. It’s to build a better business alongside people who genuinely want to see each other succeed.
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The Food Writers Business Lab offers practical, affordable education created specifically for food writers. Every workshop is taught by an experienced food writer who understands the challenges of growing an audience, diversifying your income, and building a lasting career in this industry.
It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.
Upgrade to a paid subscription for full access to all Food Writers Business Lab workshops, monthly Business Strategy Meetings, and opportunities to share your work and expertise as a featured guest on a Substack LIVE Coffee Break.
Questions?
Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.
