Kitchen Table Talk: A Conversation with Claire Ruston

Well, a great big hello to you all!This week on Kitchen Table Talk, I sat down with the brilliant Claire Ruston for a good natter about food writing, slow living and what it really looks like to build a creative life on your own terms.Claire is an award-winning food writer (The Guild of Food Writers Newcomer Award Winner 2023), a long-time blogger turned Substacker and a freelance writer who also works writing for herself, for a plethora of publications and as a ghostwriter. She’s also involved with the Guild behind the scenes, including helping out on their Substack.What we chatted about* Life in rural Bulgaria: where actually is Bulgaria?? Plus a bit of context on living and working rurally when the internet is… temperamental.* Vegetables, growing, and seasonal living: how gardening and ingredients shape what Claire cooks and writes about, with a very honest take on why ‘Christmas recipes in August’ is not the dream.* Winning the Newcomer Award: what it felt like finding out on the night, what actually changes afterwards, and how the mentorship helped her focus on the kind of work she wanted to do.* Pitching to publications: her honest take on how often pitches turn into a yes, why relationships matter, and the one thing you should do before pitching any magazine. Spoiler: really, really know it.* Substack vs magazines: the joy of being published, what each gives her and why Substack still feels like the most energising place to write and connect.* Ghostwriting: what it involves, how you find someone’s voice and why the groundwork matters more than people realise.Claire also shared some fantastic advice for anyone thinking about pitching, applying for awards, or simply putting themselves out there a bit more.Thank you to everyone who joined us live and for the great questions in the chat.If you’re watching on the replay and you’ve still got questions for Claire, pop them in the comments and I’ll pass them on.And finally, a HUGE thank you to Claire for joining me at the table! I really appreciate the time, the honesty and for being great company.If you’ve enjoyed today’s chat and would like to see more, subscribe! Get full access to The Cookbook Kitchen by Mark Thomas at thecookbookkitchen.substack.com/subscribe