October 6, 2025 • 11 mins
Kiwi Chef Chelsea Winter is all about making a practical resource for Kiwi families, having written nearly ten cookbooks over the years.
Her last few books have been focused on plant-based recipes, many of them dairy-free, egg-free, and refined sugar-free, but her 8th book, ‘Nourish’ is a return to the basics.
“My books have always been created with the intention that they are to be used,” she told Mike Hosking.
“It’s not a coffee table book.”
‘Nourish’ is filled with recipes designed not only to taste good, but to feel good, Winter says, adaptable recipes that allow a family to thrive.
“It’s a culmination of everything I’ve learned over the last 13 years, but also the person I’ve become.”
“There’s a purpose behind this book now, it’s not just like, oh look, I won MasterChef, I’m going to put out a book,” she said.
“I’m doing it to empower people in the kitchen, to uplift and inspire them, to help them nourish their families in a way that’s accessible and useful and joyful.”
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Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chelsea Winter's last book, Tasty, was the biggest selling book
of the year at this time. A little bit of
a change. We're back involved with meat and dairy. Nourish
is what it's called it to ate the book and
Chelsea Winter as with us say very good morning, good morning,
and delightful to see you. We had Nadia limon the
other day and I was talking to her about publishing,
publishing in general, because I'm endlessly fascinated about it. So
(00:21):
several questions around publishing and cookbooks. Do you know the
people who buy your books whether they actually use them,
like as a cookbook successful because of the recipes in
its use or you buy a cookbook because it's a thing.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, I mean, I'm sure both both are true. I
have the privilege of being able to be connected to
a lot of the people who buy my books through
my social media. I have four hundred thousand followers on Facebook,
and they send me photos of what they cook, and
they send me messages thanking me. And my books have
always been created with the intention that they are to
(00:57):
be used. You know, it's not a coffee table, although
they are beautiful. It's like especially Narash this one, it
is a practical, everyday resource to help people in the kitchen.
It's that's what I'm here to do.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
So where do you reckon? We are then so accepting
that people use them and they cook and they still
like cooking. Where do you reckon? We are in this
business of the battle of eating rubbish food and getting
obese and having diabetes versus being at home, using good
ingredients and making good food. We're winning that battle.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I actually have no idea, but I would I would
say that with the number of people that are buying cookbooks,
because cookbooks are very successful at the moment, people are
cooking and eating at home, I would say like more
than ever, and depending on what book you're using, Yeah,
it's homemade's always going to be best.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
How do you tailor your recipes? I mean, how complicated
do you make them? Do you have a recipe for
the recipe?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Well, I mean, I think part of why the reason
my books are so successful because the recipes are easy
to follow because I write them. And you know, there
is an art to writing a recipe. It's not just
like a few sentences going debt debt like there used
to be in the old days. I write them in
a way where I know that the reader at home,
even if I'm not like confident in the kitchen, can
(02:16):
go okay, I get what she's saying here, and I
write them as a conversation. I write them as if
I'm there in the kitchen with them, and I think
that is hugely important, as important as having a beautiful
image next to it.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
How long does that take to formulate a recipe?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
It takes a long time, like putting a book together,
writing one hundred recipes. I write them all myself, and
I test them all myself several times. It's months and
months and wow.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, so that's dedication to the task you reckon. You're
getting better at it.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yes, yes, And that's why I feel so excited about Nourish,
because you know, it's my eighth book, and it's a
culmination of everything I've learned over the last thirteen years,
but also the person I've become. And there's a purpose
behind this book. Now it's not just like, oh look,
I wont master chef, I'm going to put out a book.
Isn't this fun? This is what am I here to do?
Like why am I doing this? I'm doing it to
(03:03):
empower people in the kitchen to uplift them and inspire
them to help them nourish their families in a way
that's accessible and easeful and joyful.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
And do you reckon you would have done it if
you'd never been on Mastership?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I don't know, this really good question. I actually don't know.
I don't know. I mean I would have probably found
my way to it somehow with where I'm stepping into now.
But what I have eight cookbooks under them about?
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Well, no, see, that's what fascinates me about. See, reality
television isn't what it was when you want Mastership. It's
not the same thing anymore, sadly, is it. And so
at one point you could argue that reality television served
a decent purpose. And if you go, say to Master
Chef in Britain, there was at least one New Zealander
from memory who ended up opening his own restaurant, So
(03:51):
it became a real It was a genuine spring board
for people with genuine talent to go to a place
they wanted to go to. And you're a good example
of using your success out of that to land somewhere.
Whereas now I just worry that you know, it's just
about getting a profile or boosting your social media and
it's not the same.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
It's not the same. And I think what people respond
to at the end of the day is always the
same thing. It's the heart behind things, it's the authenticity,
and it's it's what you're creating. People are sick of
just seeing and you know, they want something with substance.
They want something they can connect to, that they can
relate to, and that they can trust. And I think,
(04:30):
you know, that is what I strive to be like
with what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
And I always have Do you self publish? No, I don't,
so have you thought about that? I have, indeed so
for your model as somebody else does it for you
in that sense, and that works for you, just the
reason Nadiaself publishes. And you know, I'm just trying to
work out what's the best path to publishing success.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I think for me it was just a capacity thing,
right you know, I'm a solo mum now with two kids,
and just for me personally, up until now, self publishing
hasn't been an option because I just don't have the capacity.
My time and energy is bitter spent creating what I'm creating,
rather than managing all that other stuff, which is monumental,
(05:17):
the amount that goes on behind the scenes. Like without
my publisher, I don't know where i'd be publishers and
so yeah, for me, that's what's worked. In the future,
i don't know will I self publish possibly, I'm just
going to see where it goes.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Do you go with trends in terms of food or not,
you know what's currently hot.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That's always been my policy, Like, I don't follow things
just because they're hot. I'm not really interested in fads
or food trends. What I'm interested in what feels good
and aligned and right to me. Because my books have
always been an extension of who I am and where
I'm at at a certain point in my life. That's
the honesty behind the books and what I genuinely feel
(05:57):
is a good ingredient to start including in a recipe.
I've experienced it myself, then I'll put it in, not
just because someone says it on the news or I've
read it in the paper somewhere.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
No, okay, so I think what a vegan?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yes? No, well, I mean I've the two books before Narish,
so Nourishes, a return to meat, eggs and Dead The
two books before were plant based because I was on
a plant based journey myself, right, which I'm very glad
I did. No regret, no regrets. I learned a lot,
I gained a lot health wives, and I came to
(06:34):
understand so much more about where our ingredients come from
and how important it is to be discerning, like if
you're eating me, eat metand yeah exactly. So I just
feel like I'm on a whole new platform now bringing
them back in with reverence and intention. Organic if you
can afford it one hundred percent. If you can't, then
(06:57):
that's okay. I don't BUI organic everything wrong. But if
I can afford it, sometimes I think one hundred percent
it is always the best choice.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
And what about cost? As an expert on food, what
would you describe the market like in terms of feeding
a family or buying food? Is there a cost of
living crisis? Is it undaffordable or if you know what
you're doing you can get buy I.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Think it's pretty undeniable that there is a cost of
living crisis. I think that's something that we're all feeling
in all different ways. And yeah, food is more expensive
than it's ever been, so I think it's a matter
again of being discerning what you know, what can you
do without and what is the smarter choice to actually
(07:41):
spend the money on, you know, and that that just
comes down to that and we all just do the
best we can.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
The point of a recipe, So in there is homemade chocolate.
Is chocolate worth homemaking as opposed to just buying a
bar of it?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Some people would say so. Some people will do it
because it's fun, for the novelty factor, because they want
to do it with their children. And some people like
me will do it even though I've got a barrow Witticker's,
you know, always always in the fridge, because it's really
really hard to find chocolate that is refined, sugar free,
that's actually young.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Most of it tastes awful, that's true.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
So you know, there was there was there was a gap,
there was something missing, and so I created it. And
that's what I've done a lot in Irish.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
The wellness thing. I read that with interest and I thought,
I thought, what a snide, horrible thing for it. And
that was funny enough. That was a Radio New Zealand story,
wasn't it. And so that that came for people who
didn't understand. You you do a wellness retreat and people
pay money and you go off and you do whatever
you do it your wellness retreat, and that's that's fine.
(08:43):
That's but they seem to attack that as like a problem.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
And it's very interesting to witness.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Did that come out of nowhere? I mean, in other words,
it's not news. It wasn't news. Isn't news. It's like,
if you want to do a wellness retreat, do a
wellness retreat? What do I care? Well?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I think it speaks to an issue that is quite clear,
like why did it get so much attention? Why is
it then when a woman is doing something to help
empower other women that it becomes something that needs to
be torn down?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Like why is it? Like I'm assuming I was assuming
it's a tall poppy thing, because you can't be the
first person who we've invented a wellness In fact, I
know you're not the first person who's ever in a
wellness retreat, So therefore maybe it's about you. So you're
it's the tall poppy thing.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Well, it's like stay in your lane, little lady. What
are you doing over here? Like why are you doing this?
It's like, well, you know, we all evolve, we all
have certain areas that we are stepping into, and for me,
these wellness retreats. And this is only the first one. Okay,
this is the first of many. This is somewhere where
I'm going, and I'm going deep, and there will be
many more. And this is like, it's literally a calling
(09:55):
for me. It's the most heart led creation that I've
ever done. It is just it's weird where I'm going,
and it's very very exciting. So you know, I don't
mind the conversation around it. I think it was really eliminating.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Are you a business person in that sense? Because I
looked at your website and you've got the knives. No
one loves knives more than I do. A high quality
knife is a wonderful thing. So you're doing the knives
and you're doing all sorts of bits. So this is
a this is a business outside of publishing and books
and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well, it's a cyventure. It's you know, people are so
fixated on this this business thing. Like if a prominent
New Zealand man had done a wee pivot and you know,
let's say, created something along the same lines as what
I've created. Would it have even got media attention? Would
(10:46):
we be even having this conversation right now? No?
Speaker 1 (10:48):
No, it's my guess, no exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
So what's the problem here.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Is, well, I don't have the problems to some people
clearly did for a period of time. Are you living
the dream?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Then? Well I feel I am, and like success is
determined individually, right, Some people have a different idea of
what success is. My idea of success is living what
my authenticity and in my truth and in my power
and in alignment and doing something, getting paid for something,
making a living of something that feels like purpose, that
(11:21):
feels like what I'm here to be doing, and that
is exactly what I am doing. So in that sense,
I've actually never been happier and there's nothing else I
would rather be doing than exactly what I'm doing right now.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
We can't argue with that, can you? Delightful to see you?
Thank you so, Chelsea would to Nourish is the book.
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Chelsea Winter's last book, Tasty, was the biggest selling book
of the year at this time. A little bit of
a change. We're back involved with meat and dairy. Nourish
is what it's called it to ate the book and
Chelsea Winter as with us say very good morning, good morning,
and delightful to see you. We had Nadia limon the
other day and I was talking to her about publishing,
publishing in general, because I'm endlessly fascinated about it. So
(00:21):
several questions around publishing and cookbooks. Do you know the
people who buy your books whether they actually use them,
like as a cookbook successful because of the recipes in
its use or you buy a cookbook because it's a thing.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, I mean, I'm sure both both are true. I
have the privilege of being able to be connected to
a lot of the people who buy my books through
my social media. I have four hundred thousand followers on Facebook,
and they send me photos of what they cook, and
they send me messages thanking me. And my books have
always been created with the intention that they are to
(00:57):
be used. You know, it's not a coffee table, although
they are beautiful. It's like especially Narash this one, it
is a practical, everyday resource to help people in the kitchen.
It's that's what I'm here to do.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
So where do you reckon? We are then so accepting
that people use them and they cook and they still
like cooking. Where do you reckon? We are in this
business of the battle of eating rubbish food and getting
obese and having diabetes versus being at home, using good
ingredients and making good food. We're winning that battle.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I actually have no idea, but I would I would
say that with the number of people that are buying cookbooks,
because cookbooks are very successful at the moment, people are
cooking and eating at home, I would say like more
than ever, and depending on what book you're using, Yeah,
it's homemade's always going to be best.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
How do you tailor your recipes? I mean, how complicated
do you make them? Do you have a recipe for
the recipe?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Well, I mean, I think part of why the reason
my books are so successful because the recipes are easy
to follow because I write them. And you know, there
is an art to writing a recipe. It's not just
like a few sentences going debt debt like there used
to be in the old days. I write them in
a way where I know that the reader at home,
even if I'm not like confident in the kitchen, can
(02:16):
go okay, I get what she's saying here, and I
write them as a conversation. I write them as if
I'm there in the kitchen with them, and I think
that is hugely important, as important as having a beautiful
image next to it.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
How long does that take to formulate a recipe?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
It takes a long time, like putting a book together,
writing one hundred recipes. I write them all myself, and
I test them all myself several times. It's months and
months and wow.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, so that's dedication to the task you reckon. You're
getting better at it.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yes, yes, And that's why I feel so excited about Nourish,
because you know, it's my eighth book, and it's a
culmination of everything I've learned over the last thirteen years,
but also the person I've become. And there's a purpose
behind this book. Now it's not just like, oh look,
I wont master chef, I'm going to put out a book.
Isn't this fun? This is what am I here to do?
Like why am I doing this? I'm doing it to
(03:03):
empower people in the kitchen to uplift them and inspire
them to help them nourish their families in a way
that's accessible and easeful and joyful.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
And do you reckon you would have done it if
you'd never been on Mastership?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I don't know, this really good question. I actually don't know.
I don't know. I mean I would have probably found
my way to it somehow with where I'm stepping into now.
But what I have eight cookbooks under them about?
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Well, no, see, that's what fascinates me about. See, reality
television isn't what it was when you want Mastership. It's
not the same thing anymore, sadly, is it. And so
at one point you could argue that reality television served
a decent purpose. And if you go, say to Master
Chef in Britain, there was at least one New Zealander
from memory who ended up opening his own restaurant, So
(03:51):
it became a real It was a genuine spring board
for people with genuine talent to go to a place
they wanted to go to. And you're a good example
of using your success out of that to land somewhere.
Whereas now I just worry that you know, it's just
about getting a profile or boosting your social media and
it's not the same.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
It's not the same. And I think what people respond
to at the end of the day is always the
same thing. It's the heart behind things, it's the authenticity,
and it's it's what you're creating. People are sick of
just seeing and you know, they want something with substance.
They want something they can connect to, that they can
relate to, and that they can trust. And I think,
(04:30):
you know, that is what I strive to be like
with what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
And I always have Do you self publish? No, I don't,
so have you thought about that? I have, indeed so
for your model as somebody else does it for you
in that sense, and that works for you, just the
reason Nadiaself publishes. And you know, I'm just trying to
work out what's the best path to publishing success.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I think for me it was just a capacity thing,
right you know, I'm a solo mum now with two kids,
and just for me personally, up until now, self publishing
hasn't been an option because I just don't have the capacity.
My time and energy is bitter spent creating what I'm creating,
rather than managing all that other stuff, which is monumental,
(05:17):
the amount that goes on behind the scenes. Like without
my publisher, I don't know where i'd be publishers and
so yeah, for me, that's what's worked. In the future,
i don't know will I self publish possibly, I'm just
going to see where it goes.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Do you go with trends in terms of food or not,
you know what's currently hot.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That's always been my policy, Like, I don't follow things
just because they're hot. I'm not really interested in fads
or food trends. What I'm interested in what feels good
and aligned and right to me. Because my books have
always been an extension of who I am and where
I'm at at a certain point in my life. That's
the honesty behind the books and what I genuinely feel
(05:57):
is a good ingredient to start including in a recipe.
I've experienced it myself, then I'll put it in, not
just because someone says it on the news or I've
read it in the paper somewhere.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
No, okay, so I think what a vegan?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yes? No, well, I mean I've the two books before Narish,
so Nourishes, a return to meat, eggs and Dead The
two books before were plant based because I was on
a plant based journey myself, right, which I'm very glad
I did. No regret, no regrets. I learned a lot,
I gained a lot health wives, and I came to
(06:34):
understand so much more about where our ingredients come from
and how important it is to be discerning, like if
you're eating me, eat metand yeah exactly. So I just
feel like I'm on a whole new platform now bringing
them back in with reverence and intention. Organic if you
can afford it one hundred percent. If you can't, then
(06:57):
that's okay. I don't BUI organic everything wrong. But if
I can afford it, sometimes I think one hundred percent
it is always the best choice.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
And what about cost? As an expert on food, what
would you describe the market like in terms of feeding
a family or buying food? Is there a cost of
living crisis? Is it undaffordable or if you know what
you're doing you can get buy I.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Think it's pretty undeniable that there is a cost of
living crisis. I think that's something that we're all feeling
in all different ways. And yeah, food is more expensive
than it's ever been, so I think it's a matter
again of being discerning what you know, what can you
do without and what is the smarter choice to actually
(07:41):
spend the money on, you know, and that that just
comes down to that and we all just do the
best we can.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
The point of a recipe, So in there is homemade chocolate.
Is chocolate worth homemaking as opposed to just buying a
bar of it?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Some people would say so. Some people will do it
because it's fun, for the novelty factor, because they want
to do it with their children. And some people like
me will do it even though I've got a barrow Witticker's,
you know, always always in the fridge, because it's really
really hard to find chocolate that is refined, sugar free,
that's actually young.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Most of it tastes awful, that's true.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
So you know, there was there was there was a gap,
there was something missing, and so I created it. And
that's what I've done a lot in Irish.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
The wellness thing. I read that with interest and I thought,
I thought, what a snide, horrible thing for it. And
that was funny enough. That was a Radio New Zealand story,
wasn't it. And so that that came for people who
didn't understand. You you do a wellness retreat and people
pay money and you go off and you do whatever
you do it your wellness retreat, and that's that's fine.
(08:43):
That's but they seem to attack that as like a problem.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
And it's very interesting to witness.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Did that come out of nowhere? I mean, in other words,
it's not news. It wasn't news. Isn't news. It's like,
if you want to do a wellness retreat, do a
wellness retreat? What do I care? Well?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I think it speaks to an issue that is quite clear,
like why did it get so much attention? Why is
it then when a woman is doing something to help
empower other women that it becomes something that needs to
be torn down?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Like why is it? Like I'm assuming I was assuming
it's a tall poppy thing, because you can't be the
first person who we've invented a wellness In fact, I
know you're not the first person who's ever in a
wellness retreat, So therefore maybe it's about you. So you're
it's the tall poppy thing.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Well, it's like stay in your lane, little lady. What
are you doing over here? Like why are you doing this?
It's like, well, you know, we all evolve, we all
have certain areas that we are stepping into, and for me,
these wellness retreats. And this is only the first one. Okay,
this is the first of many. This is somewhere where
I'm going, and I'm going deep, and there will be
many more. And this is like, it's literally a calling
(09:55):
for me. It's the most heart led creation that I've
ever done. It is just it's weird where I'm going,
and it's very very exciting. So you know, I don't
mind the conversation around it. I think it was really eliminating.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Are you a business person in that sense? Because I
looked at your website and you've got the knives. No
one loves knives more than I do. A high quality
knife is a wonderful thing. So you're doing the knives
and you're doing all sorts of bits. So this is
a this is a business outside of publishing and books
and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well, it's a cyventure. It's you know, people are so
fixated on this this business thing. Like if a prominent
New Zealand man had done a wee pivot and you know,
let's say, created something along the same lines as what
I've created. Would it have even got media attention? Would
(10:46):
we be even having this conversation right now? No?
Speaker 1 (10:48):
No, it's my guess, no exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
So what's the problem here.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Is, well, I don't have the problems to some people
clearly did for a period of time. Are you living
the dream?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Then? Well I feel I am, and like success is
determined individually, right, Some people have a different idea of
what success is. My idea of success is living what
my authenticity and in my truth and in my power
and in alignment and doing something, getting paid for something,
making a living of something that feels like purpose, that
(11:21):
feels like what I'm here to be doing, and that
is exactly what I am doing. So in that sense,
I've actually never been happier and there's nothing else I
would rather be doing than exactly what I'm doing right now.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
We can't argue with that, can you? Delightful to see you?
Thank you so, Chelsea would to Nourish is the book.
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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