Since You Asked... Chloe Walsh
A Brit living in LA? Chloe is living my dream, so I asked her all about it. Expect LA recommendations!!!
I oscillate wildly between hating social media, and being consumed by it. I spent so much of my twenties managing social accounts for various people, and feeling pulled to creating content online in my own way – usually sharing vulnerable thoughts and feelings on Instagram, which I more recently translated into this newsletter – and the result has been a definite and defiant love-hate-relationship with it. When your career really hinges on sharing your work with the world around you, how do you stop from drowning in the comparison culture social media often facilitates?
The thing that’s always kept me on platforms like Instagram is community. It’s sounds phoney, but I’ve met some of my closest friends through it. And I usually know which ones are the real gems by how joyful and genuine their content is. That’s why I started following
(@chloecooks___), a Brit living in LA whose IG presence has always made me feel inspired and excited to grocery shop, prep, cook and eat.As someone who has always felt the pull towards the West coast – a three month stint living on a winery in California was not long enough! – I was fascinated with Chloe’s life as a recipe developer, chef and content creator there. I wanted to know more, and so I slid in her DMs like the internet girly that I am. Months later, she’s not only been kind enough to answer my questions so intentionally, but also has hooked me up with one of her good friends to flat swap when I’m over in LA in May. And has promised to show me her side of the city when I’m there, which is the mark of a thoroughly great human being!
In the future, these interviews will be for paid subscribers and will feature recipes and lots of city-focused recommendations from my guests; but this one is free to read. Enjoy and definitely follow Chloe on IG. Warning, she will make you want to move to Los Angeles.
I want to start with Los Angeles because I’m pretty fanatical about LA’s food history and diversity. What brought you to the city? And how did you begin to build your career in cooking there?
So, we were already living in SF (we had been living in Norcal for three years prior to LA). My husband works in tech and his job is what took us to the US originally. We both didn't anticipate how much we would fall in love with Northern California, but we really did. However, we always had a feeling that Southern California – specifically Los Angeles – would call us eventually. And when it did, we were ready!
I was working for Heath Ceramics SF (a San Francisco institution), doing all of their social media and social strategy stuff. I quit when I moved to LA, and went freelance doing pretty much the same thing for a few small brands. Then pretty instantly landed a job with Zia Tile doing the same thing as well as more of their creative / brand strategy stuff. It was very serendipitous, and I loved working for them so much. I was their 5th employee, and we really were like a little family. I fell so deeply in love with LA and still am to this day.
Time went on and during the pandemic I really started documenting all of the food I was cooking. I had always cooked like this, but really never documented it before (i've been hosting supper clubs since uni and worked in a smattering of restaurants during this time too). My inbox was filling up but I never really had time to dedicate to cooking in a professional capacity as I had a full time job. After undergoing a significant surgery in jan 2022 (I had a total knee replacement because of my ongoing rheumatoid arthritis) I had a long recovery time and so spent this making a website and building even more of a presence online. When it was time to make a decision about going back to my full time job, I took a leap of faith and decided to try and freelance in the vast world of food work—and I haven't looked back.
I’m so intrigued about your cooking school experience! What has your cooking journey looked like leading up to it, and how has it impacted your life and career since?
So, I actually had no formal culinary training as of early last year. I had worked in many restaurants over the years, but it was mainly to sustain myself through my studies. But during those times, I learned so much and built on everything I had already honed as a home cook.
But I have always gravitated towards Italian cuisine specifically, more so regional Italian cuisine. And so last year, I decided to go to culinary school in Calabria, Italy - to the Italian Culinary Institute. It was so amazing. I added a lot more technicality to my cooking, and I think I really had a chance to see the spirit of how and why Italian food is so amazing, tasty and beloved. It really is in its simplicity. And ‘simple’ is how I have always cooked. Now, I want to do more short term culinary school stints. Ballymaloe is on the cards for sure - just putting that out into the universe! Or staging at a restaurant that I have always wanted to work in has also been on my mind (Chez Panisse!!!!).
Before doing what I am doing now (actually working in food-as a chef, freelance recipe developer, photographer, food stylist, content creator, writer and art director) I hosted supper clubs for years. It started when I was at university in Bristol – my housemates and I would take turns in hosting supper clubs once a month. We all loved food, cooking and sharing meals with friends (and sometimes strangers)!
I actually graduated doing fine art, painting. And although I am not directly working in the art world that I once saw myself having a career in, it definitely all connects to what I am doing now.
Can you tell me about your cooking style and how it’s developed over the years? I heard you say that your style has unintentionally become “healthy versions of comfort food” – I gravitate to the same arena of cooking, so I’m curious how you got there?
I cook simple food. But at the crux of my simple food, the taste has to be exquisite. I cook a lot of modern British food, regional Italian food, rustic French-inspired dishes, all with lots of Spanish influences sprinkled throughout too. I suppose you could say modern European? But also it has a lot of Californian flair as well, just because I live in LA and I am extremely influenced by my surroundings and inspired by the gorgeous produce available here. And for sure, unintentionally healthier versions of comfort food. I am just more thoughtful to the way in which things are cooked and what they are cooked with etc.
I absolutely do not believe in restricting food or cutting out entire food groups, but more think about eating in moderation and intuitively. We all need to enjoy life!
I cook extremely seasonally, and very much farmers market driven. I tend to steer away from cooking with ingredients that are not in season. the food ultimately will just taste better that way. I want my food to feel free and easy, but craveable.
Has living in LA affected how you cook? I’m thinking back to my time spent in Cornwall – I definitely made use of more local ingredients and heroing simple, summery cooking. Whereas in London, I feel like I’m constantly roasting chickens and putting pots of brothy beans on the stove! I feel like the access to such amazing seasonal produce in California must make its mark on the way you cook.
Absolutely! The weather plays a big part in how and why I cook. even down to my state of mind. It's no lie that living in perpetual sunshine makes you happier (for me anyway). And honestly, it makes you want to eat really good things that can help nourish your body.
Living in LA, we have multiple farmers markets throughout the city—every single day. We are so lucky! The produce is abundant and hyper local. By shopping at the farmers markets here you are supporting farms that are sometimes only miles away.
The price of most of the produce is very reasonable and so it is easy to do most of your fruit, veg and protein shop at the farmers market’s here. It's very similar to how people in France utilise their farmers markets - it’s a daily thing.
Whereas in London (from my experience, anyway) the farmers markets are lovely but I feel like they are less shoppable on a daily basis. They have lovely, specialised products but it’s expensive and they are less frequent.
But all that being said, I too roast chicken once a week! But here I have it with (ofc) a big juicy salad and maybe some simple lemon roasted potatoes or with some cold legumes tossed with herbs and lots of olive oil.
How is your relationship to social media when it comes to posting food content? I sometimes struggle to keep up with it, even though I know it’s important for my career to be online. How do you manage that tension and make it work for you?
I'm going to be honest with you—I really do love it! Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the pressure to post every day can be a lot. But I take it all with a pinch of salt and do whatever fits in with my lifestyle. Some of the food I post is more polished, and some is more of what I ate for lunch that day. Both are relevant to who I am and how I want to come across publicly, because that is just how I live my life.
I think of my IG as a portfolio of sorts - an insight into me as a brand. Which I hope comes across as very real and authentic. I feel as though I do share very real things that truly represent who I am. Most of the time that is food related content, sometimes it’s about my struggles with my rheumatoid arthritis. It all depends. But I am a social media lover! I am still constantly inspired by Instagram, and only follow people that I really truly enjoy. I follow a lot of food accounts but I also follow a lot of interior design things, art and travel. Things that bring me joy!
I intake so much food media daily—that could be from Instagram, TikTok, reading, magazines, YouTube, the news. I really love it all!
I’m such a creature of habit with cooking – I tend to make different iterations of the same meal over and over again. Do you find that you’re able to widen your cooking repertoire because you do it as a job? Or do you have real staples or mainstays you always come back to?
I am also a creature of habit - absolutely. But I am also curious, and love to experiment in the kitchen. I like to challenge myself and come up with new ideas and recipes based on recent food I have eaten, menus that have inspired me etc. But at home, I am for sure a creature of habit and I like it that way. I am the same with restaurants to be honest. I have my spots in LA that I go back to all the time. I might try out a few new spots if they pique my interest, but otherwise I like what I like. And that tends to be simple, delicious food in a familiar setting.
Can you tell us what you’re cooking for yourself when you’re alone and in need of some comfort?
At the moment it is kitchari with a soft boiled, jammy egg and some chilli crunch. As I mentioned, I also love roasting a whole chicken and eating over the course of a week with many different things. I will usually enjoy with some roasted vegetables, day of. Perhaps with some boiled potatoes and parsley butter sauce. Then, more than likely, I will make chicken soup with the leftovers, and most certainly always make some chicken broth from the bones, to freeze. I also love congee and jook, and make variations of that often. Tinned fish is a staple, I probably eat at least three tins a week. And no matter what I am eating, I almost always pair it with a big, juicy vinegary salad - which my sister always finds so amusing. She jokes that not everything has to have a salad with it, but I beg to differ.
Where should we be eating, drinking and staying in Los Angeles?
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Really enjoyed this!! <3