Meet Beloved Best-Selling Cookbook Author and Food Extraordinaire Julia Turshen

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game-changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

Julia Turshen has always had a love for two things: food and writing. This comes as no surprise considering her vast achievements in the food and publishing industries. Turshen’s impressive list of accolades includes best-selling author; reputable food writer with words published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Bon Appétit, and more; food equity advocate and founder of Equity at the Table; and host of the Keep Calm and Cook On podcast. There’s no denying that Turshen’s passion is not only in the kitchen but also in bringing her love for food to the world around her. The New York Times has described her as someone “at the forefront of the new generation of authentic, approachable authors.”

Turshen has collaborated on and co-authored over 10 cookbooks with diverse cuisines ranging from Vietnamese dishes to bread from around the world, and in 2016, she published her first solo cookbook, Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home Cooking Triumphs. This book was recognized by NPR and The New York Times, and her second book, Feed the Resistance, was deemed Eater’s Best Cookbook of 2017. In 2018, Turshen’s third book was honored as Amazon’s Best Cookbook the Year and an NPR Great Read. Now, Turshen is releasing her fourth book, Simply Julia, on March 2, featuring a healthier perspective on the satisfying yet simple comfort food for which she’s known. 

Before Turshen struck out with a book of her own, however, she took several jobs as a private chef, working with a range of clients, from people in finance and Hollywood types to one-off special occasions. Tune in to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how those years of private chefing taught Turshen to understand what people truly want out of cooking and how she'd ultimately provide just that through her writing. Keep scrolling to discover all her celebrated cookbooks and to get your hands on her latest, Simply Julia.