I’m Emma, and I’m so happy you’ve found your way to Art of Easy Cooking. I’m thirty-four years old, living in sunny San Diego, and for as long as I can remember, food has been my way of connecting with people. Growing up in a small town in southern England, I spent countless afternoons in the kitchen with my mum and grandmother. They taught me that food isn’t just about feeding the body—it’s about creating moments of warmth, laughter, and sometimes even healing.
When I was in my teens, I loved experimenting with recipes I’d pull out of old cookbooks or scribble down from cooking shows. Not everything was a success—I still remember the time I tried to bake a lemon cake without sugar and proudly served it to my family. They ate it with brave smiles, but I could see the struggle in their eyes. That small failure taught me an important lesson: cooking is as much about the learning curve as it is about the results.
My love for food carried me across the Atlantic in my twenties, when I moved to the United States to work in restaurant kitchens. At first, it was tough. I was a stranger in a new country, working long nights and trying to find my rhythm. But those kitchens shaped me. I learned the discipline of timing, the beauty of collaboration, and the courage to experiment with flavors outside of my comfort zone. Eventually, I transitioned from fine dining to home cooking, where I found my true passion—making delicious food accessible to everyone.
Now, as a mom of a little boy who loves dipping anything and everything into ketchup, and a girl who insists that pancakes are a food group of their own, I find inspiration in everyday family life. My kids remind me daily that cooking doesn’t need to be perfect—it needs to be joyful. Some nights it’s about throwing together a quick one-pot meal, other nights it’s about gathering around the table for homemade pizza with more toppings than dough.
To me, cooking is storytelling. Every recipe I share here carries a bit of my journey, whether it’s a nostalgic nod to my English roots, a fresh idea discovered during my years in professional kitchens, or a happy accident born out of my children’s endless curiosity. I believe that anyone can cook when the right balance of simplicity and creativity comes together, and that’s what I try to bring into every recipe I create for Art of Easy Cooking.
So, welcome to my kitchen. I hope you’ll feel like a guest at my table—sharing meals, stories, and maybe even a few mishaps along the way. Because in the end, food is about connection, and that’s what I want this space to be: a haven where we celebrate the art of easy cooking, together.
