Everything Cookbooks
Everything Cookbooks
Andrea Nguyen, Molly Stevens, Kate Leahy, Kristin Donnelly
169: Kathy Gunst on What It Takes to Host a Food Writing Retreat
48 minutes Posted May 20, 2026 at 10:00 am.
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Show notes
Kristin and Molly speak with Kathy Gunst, a prolific cookbook author, teacher and now leader of food writing retreats, about her varied career and new project. Kathy shares how she got started in the food world by attending London's Le Cordon Bleu, what it is like being the resident chef for NPR's Here & Now and how she deals with creative burnout. She explains the ins and outs of running a writers retreat; the logistics, planning, travel and teaching that goes on behind the scenes and how much she's taken to this new venture. She gives us insights about how the retreat is set up, the way students respond, learn and grow their confidence and the types of writing she likes to foster. She leaves us with advice and a call for writers to invest in themselves, their talent and their future.