Ditch the Recipe: Trust Your Gut in the Kitchen & in Life with Melanie of Gather Culinary

"Perfectionism kills intuition. And as a former pastry chef who was a perfectionist, I always call myself a recovering perfectionist." – Melanie (09:49)

Are You Stuck Following the Recipe—In the Kitchen and in Life?

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by cooking, labeled yourself “the worst cook,” or relied on strict rules and recipes just to get through dinner, this episode is about to change the way you think—not just about food, but about confidence, intuition, and self-trust.

Cooking is one of the few things we do daily that engages all five senses—yet many of us feel stuck, insecure, or afraid to make mistakes. What if the kitchen could be a place of freedom instead of fear?

This week, Andrea sits down with Melanie from Gather Culinary, a chef and culinary educator with nearly three decades of experience, to explore how breaking free from recipes can help you break free in life.

They dive into why perfectionism is holding you back, how to trust your intuition when cooking, and how a simple mindset shift in the kitchen can spill over into other areas of your life. Plus, Melanie shares some eye-opening tricks—like why banana peel tea can help you sleep and how to train your senses to “hear” when food is ready.

By the end of this episode, you’ll be ready to ditch the self-doubt, tap into your intuition, and cook (and live) with more confidence than ever before.

Key Quotes:

"If you tell yourself that story, your body hears you, your mind hears you, and it's like a little chip away every day. ‘I'm not good at this. I can't do it.’" – Melanie (01:27)

"Your intuition isn’t about thinking harder. It's about creating space for the answers that are already there to emerge." – Melanie (22:03)

"The kitchen is the perfect place to practice flexibility—because if you can pivot when your avocado isn’t ripe, you can pivot in life too." – Andrea (08:57)

"If you taste something and don’t like it, ask yourself why. Cooking isn’t about getting it ‘right’—it’s about making it taste good to YOU." – Melanie (31:21)

Resources & Links:

📌 Connect with Melanie Underwood & Gather Culinary: 🔗 Gather Culinary 

• Website: https://www.gatherculinary.com 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gatherculinary
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gatherculinary

🔗 Chef Melanie Underwood:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefmelanieunderwood
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefmelanieunderwood
• Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/melanieunderwood

📌 Other Resources Mentioned:

• https://www.gatherculinary.com/post/guide-to-intuitive-baking 
• https://www.gatherculinary.com/post/mindful-cooking-affirmations
• https://www.gatherculinary.com/post/mindful-cooking-nourishing-your-body-and-soul-in-the-kitchen

📌 Connect with Andrea Hecht:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullyinformedlifecoaching
• Website: http