cookbook author, chelsea cole
I help food bloggers take their cookbook from dream to done.
I'm the blogger behind A Duck's Oven and a four-time cookbook author. I self-published my first two books, and those books are a big reason I later landed two traditional cookbook deals.
After navigating the completely confusing process of figuring out how to self-publish a cookbook, I launched The Cookbook Lab to help other food bloggers turn their recipes into cookbooks too.
Before all this, I came up through marketing, which is why I see a cookbook the way a marketer does: as a business asset you build an audience around, not just a creative project. In 2021, I left my marketing director job to go all-in on food blogging and my own business, and I've never looked back.
I'm based in Portland, Oregon, where I'm raising two toddlers while running all of this. If I can build four cookbooks in the middle of that chaos, I promise you can build one, too.
you may have seen me in...
my cooking story
I didn't grow up loving cooking.
My mom was a good cook, but it wasn’t something I ever showed interest in. When I got to college and was faced with cooking in my own apartment, I found cooking dinner to be a great way to unwind from a long day of school and my part time job.
I’m married to my high school sweetheart and we went to the same college, so he was along for this whooole journey (and got to reap the benefits!). I loved to cook for him and my roommate and use them as test subjects for new ideas.
I found that so many of my peers relied on takeout, which was expensive, or packaged food, which isn’t the most nutritious and frankly, just doesn’t taste that good.
I decided to start A Duck’s Oven in 2010, my junior year, to document my learning process and easily share recipes with fellow college students.
Since then, cooking is still one of my favorite ways to unpack my brain after work. I rely on planned, simple meals using “cheater ingredients” to get us through the week, and on the weekends I love a good cooking project, like sous vide pastrami.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram, where I document what I’m cooking on the daily!
@the.cookbook.lab
everyday sous vide: it's all french to me
This book is full of recipes with short ingredient lists that you’d cook any given day, not just for special occasions. Way better overnight oats, smoky pickles, and garlicky mashed potatoes are among the many things you’ll learn how to cook in this book.
sous vide meal prep
Sous vide cooking isn’t just for experienced or professional chefs: it’s a game changer for home cooks, too. The dinner preparers of the world will learn how sous vide cooking can do the heavy lifting for them when it comes to getting something delicious on the table every night.
A Feast of Thorns and Roses: the Unofficial Cookbook of A Court of Thorns and Roses
Dive headfirst into the fantastical world of Prythian with A Feast of Thorns and Roses. This culinary journey brings the magic of A Court of Thorns and Roses series to your kitchen, featuring 65 recipes inspired by the beloved characters, enchanting places, and unforgettable plotlines from the books.
A Guide to the Kitchen Quadrant: The unofficial Fourth Wing Cookbook
Dive into the world of Basgiath War College like never before. Bursting with 60 creative recipes and imaginative lore, this vibrant culinary adventure invites readers to experience the magic, camaraderie, and chaos of The Empyrean series, right from their own kitchens.
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my cookbooks
recipe
the special ingredients of chelsea
Title:
full-time food blogger, cookbook author
Serves:
my high school sweetheart (now husband) & two toddlers
Preps With:
a glass of Willamette Valley red wine
Loves to Cook:
sous vide salmon my husband caught
Ingredients for a happy Chelsea:
My favorite cooking technique is sous vide! Easy recipes to get comfortable in the kitchen, talking about self-publishing, and cooking to unwind from a long day.
Direction in life:
I didn't grow up loving cooking, until I was on my own and faced with cooking in my own apartment. I started to document my learning process and easily share recipes with fellow college students. Which is how A Duck's Oven started in 2010 during my junior year of college.
start with my favorite recipes
easy pumpkin waffles
make it
chicken and pineapple curry
enjoy it
sous vide tri-tip steak
you'll love this
have any questions?
DM me on Instagram or shoot me an email at [email protected]. If you happen to make a recipe, it means the world if you rate and review it. I’m so happy to have you here!
- chelsea
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