Meet Christina Bailey
I'm Christina Bailey, a Culinary Institute of America graduate and Michelin-star restaurant alum. I currently serve clients in the Boise, Idaho area. My recipes and culinary expertise have been published and featured by HuffPost, the Redfin blog, Insider, AskHer, Cozymeal, Yummly, Allrecipes, and the Culinary Institute of America. My work as a news reporter in Southwest Florida was featured more than once on CNN's Headline News.
My Mission: Empowering You to Cook
I believe that anyone can learn to cook delicious, nutritious food.
In any kitchen. On any budget. With simple tools.
I'd love for you to subscribe to my free newsletter on Substack. It's how I'm working to break the mold of the brand-influence, advertisement-littered recipe platform. I hope you'll join me. For more on my culinary, musical theatre, and television backgrounds, keep scrolling...
Eat + be well,
Christina
My Nutrient-Dense Approach
I studied nutrition at the Culinary Institute from a food service angle and use this valuable education when developing new recipes. When creating nutrient-dense meals and side dishes, I also consult the treasure trove of information published by The Center for Science the Public Interest.
Freedom from Recipes
I want you to learn how to cook great meals without your eyes glued to a screen or piece of paper. So unlike the endless other recipe platforms (some good, others not), here you will find many techniques and ratios that create deliciousness.
Versatile Food for All Diets
In our family of four, we have gluten sensitivities, dairy intolerance, and tree nut allergies (me!). Somehow in the madness, I manage to cook (mostly) scratch-made meals we all enjoy together. Many of the recipes I share are Mediterranean-style without processed or refined ingredients. So they naturally work for a range of food philosophies and diets.
Cooking with Kids
Kids drive you crazy when you're trying to cook? Put them to work! As young as three, my kids were making their own sandwiches. My oldest son began cooking us all breakfast at the ripe old age of six.
My Culinary Career
As a career transition after working in musical theater and broadcast news, I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, earning The Katharine Angell Academic Achievement Award (valedictorian).
At the Culinary Institute of America
- I worked under food photographer Keith Ferris
- Wrote articles for the food science department's publications under Chris Loss, who now lectures at Cornell.
- Spent a day cooking in the Bon Appétit test kitchen
- Self-published a book about my externship experience
- Earned entry-level certification with the Court of Master Sommeliers
Michelin-Star Experience
In pursuit of learning from the best, I earned an externship position in the kitchen at Thomas Keller's flagship Bouchon Bistro in Yountville, California.
In addition to 12-hour days in the fast-paced kitchen, I photographed seasonal menu changes for the restaurant group's corporate marketing. Prior to my time at the CIA, I served guests at the beloved California bakery SusieCakes, and worked for award-winning Executive Chef Chad Johnson at Sidebern's in Tampa (now Haven).
As a private chef and culinary instructor for Cozymeal, I served a range of clients from young families in Los Angeles suburbs to celebrities in Malibu. And no matter who's at the table, I offer a Martha Stewart meets Michelin-star style of service. Currently based in Boise, Idaho, my culinary offerings are concentrated on teaching and meal delivery. On occasion, I can be found in the kitchen at the Boise Urban Garden School, teaching Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine students a hands-on culinary medicine lab. I am currently pursuing certification through the American College of Culinary Medicine.
Before Food
Musical Theater & Television
After graduating from Florida State University with a media studies degree, I worked in Equity musical theatre and television. I performed at Disneyland's Fantasyland Theatre, played the Witch's Mother in the original Chicago cast of the hit musical Wicked, and appeared in various industrial shows and national television commercials.
After retiring from full-time performing, I worked at WFTX-TV Fox 4 in Southwest Florida as a reporter and line producer for all newscasts. While the focus of my career is now all things food, I continue to create digital and television media, sometimes with my Emmy-nominated husband.