Welcome to Dinner Tonight
The kind of cookbook I've always dreamt of writing, brought to you week by week
I don’t know about you but I love cook books. I love lifting them off the shelf in my kitchen, dusting off the flour that has invariably settled on their covers and turning to a reliable recipe I know works time and again. Nothing brings me quite as much joy.
There’s just one problem. Often we save the recipes in our favourite cook books for best- if we’re having a dinner party, say, or a special weekend meal at home. That or we save them for when we have enough time to really indulge in the act of cooking- maybe with some music on the stereo and a glass of something comforting in our hands. As a result the meals that keep us going through the toughest parts of the week are often neglected- a salad grabbed on the way home, or leftovers from the weekend. And yet, arguably these are the most important meals of the week. Because who doesn’t deserve a delicious, nourishing meal after a hard day at the office? Who doesn’t crave a home cooked dinner to help take the ‘edge’ off things?
The problem is one part time (we don’t have enough) and two parts inspiration (because who has the energy to think of new recipes in the week?). What if, I thought to myself one day, I could share the recipes I make at home every week? What if i could ensure every one of them took no more than 30 minutes but always felt as indulgent and flavoursome as a 3-hour stew cooked over the Aga? Wouldn’t that feel exciting?
So that’s what Dinner Tonight is. A sort of live, serialised cook book where every week I give you the recipes I’ve spent hours testing- and eating, in my very own kitchen. What’s more you’ll get to chat to me about the recipes you love, as well as those you want more of. Plus lots more exciting stuff along the way!
So why now, you’re probably thinking? Good question.
The truth is I’ve been a chef and food writer for over a decade. And it’s tough. I love Instagram, and have been lucky enough to build a strong following. But the algorithms mean you often don’t see my best work. Whilst Reels only allow me to show you a small glimpse of the entire cooking process. I’ve also found it’s not the best place to foster a community. People can talk to me, sure, but I want to create a space where we can all share cooking stories, recipes and everything in between. That’s what I’m hoping to build here.
There are two parts to this Substack- a free subscription and a paid subscription (more of which below). Firstly, trust me when I say it doesn’t feel at all natural to me to offer a paid option for this newsletter. My whole career I’ve written recipes for free on my Instagram and my website, whilst my podcast, Desert Island Dishes is free for all to listen to. But recently I’ve been getting a lot of lovely messages from people asking if there’s a way they can support me to say thank you for all that free work and so now there is.
Dinner Tonight then is a little space of the internet away from algorithms, brands and ads - a place just for me and the people who choose to sign up. It’s also a way to get to know me and my cooking better.
Interested? Then here’s how it all works!
FREE SUBSCRIBERS…
Every fortnight you will get an exclusive recipe from me. These are the recipes I cook at home for me and my family. They are tried, tested and loved! Plus you will not find them anywhere else. If this sounds good to you then simply sign up below!
PAID SUBSCRIBERS £5 a month or £50 a year
For some people however you might want more of the good stuff. You will therefore get:
A weekly recipe direct from my kitchen to your inbox!
Ask Me Anythings where we get together and chat. This is your chance to ask me for tips of cooking, ideas for meals, whatever!
Insider guides- from time to time I’ll do guides, sharing everything from where I go to eat, what products I swear by and all sorts of other insidery chef bits.
How to videos: Whilst I do short videos on my Instagram, they often don’t tell the whole story. The videos I post here will. You’ll get a more in-depth look at exactly how I plan and prep my favourite meals.
Your support as a paid subscriber basically allows Dinner Tonight to exist. So my absolute eternal gratitude is also yours.
Does this sound good? Then to become a paid subscriber simply press the button below and get signed up!
Founding Membership £200
Finally I’m doing a very limited number of founding memberships. This is for those who truly want to help make the difference as I’m just starting out. What’s more I’ll give you a special one-on-one Zoom cook-a-long where we cook together. And you can bring as many friends as you like!
To become a founding member simply hit the button below!