Meet Christina Bailey
Private Chef. Journalist. Cozymeal Instructor. Chef Mom.
Hi there and welcome to Edible Times! I'm Christina Bailey, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, Michelin-star restaurant alum, private chef, and instructor of culinary experiences in partnership with Cozymeal. My recipes and culinary expertise have been published and featured by HuffPost, the Redfin blog, Insider, AskHer, Cozymeal, Yummly, Allrecipes, Edible Arrangements, the Culinary Institute of America, and Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. 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.
And I don't just share professionally-developed, versatile recipes. I also share the know-how.
My Nutrient-Dense Approach
While at the Culinary Institute of America, I studied nutrition 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. CSPI is a wonderful non-profit organization that fights for better food and health policies rooted in evidence-based science. Of course, this doesn't necessarily apply to indulgent breakfasts or desserts. But I do offer tips on how to incorporate more fiber and cut down on sugar when baking.
I don't eat, buy, or cook with processed ingredients often. And recommend you don't either. As a parent who understands a hectic schedule and the need to budget, I try to simplify healthful eating. And provide tips on shopping for great, affordable ingredients. My personal favorite pastime is debunking food and baking myths for anyone willing to listen.
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 run-of-the-mill food blogs written by home cooks, Edible Times gives you the tips, techniques, and ratios that are the secrets to deliciousness.
Versatile Food for All Diets
In our family of four, we have gluten sensitivities, dairy intolerance, tree nut allergies (me!), and a low-carb diet lover. 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.
Most importantly, I encourage my clients, students, and readers to take time and enjoy their food with friends and family. Whether a piece of whole grain toast spread with almond butter or a quick and easy weeknight dinner like pasta alla vodka.
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 ol' age of 6!
I love to tuck simple, impromptu ways to engage your kids in the kitchen throughout my recipes. And also some fun food science and time-saving chef hacks. Because life's too short to over-complicate dinner.
Empower & Inspire
I hope what you find here empowers you to cook from scratch, be discerning when you grocery shop if your budget allows, and inspire you to better your health.
I'd love for you to subscribe to my free twice-monthly 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 Culinary Career
As a career transition after working in broadcast news, I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York earning The Katharine Angell Academic Achievement Award.
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
And baked a lot of French macarons. It was a flavor-packed two years.
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've served a range of clients. From young families in Los Angeles suburbs to affluent 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 creating custom culinary experiences from four-course dinners to private classes.
Culinary Services
If you live in the Boise, Idaho area, you can learn more about current offerings from Edible Times Culinary Services here.
Before the Food Biz
Musical Theater & Television
I grew up performing on many a stage, and after graduating from Florida State University with a media studies degree, I worked in professional theatre and in 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.
Broadcast News
I eventually put my media degree to use covering the news for Fox 4 in Southwest Florida. Often reporting live during the same newscast I produced, my time at Fox 4 was intense, to say the least. Our class act news director, Forest Carr, instilled in me a constant quest for the truth. And a need to protect the vulnerable while holding the powerful accountable. To this day when I write food content, I aim to tell it like it is (at the risk of coming across as snarky).
Here & Now
While the focus of my career is now clearly all things food, I continue to create digital and television media, sometimes with my Emmy-nominated Husband. Follow the link above for a fun short story on the spunky 1920's tennis star Suzanne Lenglen. And subscribe to Tennis Channel if you love the game, and want the best coverage of professional tennis available.
My Mission
The journey for truth and holding the powerful and popular accountable is part of my mission for Edible Times. Hype, incorrect information, poorly written content, and misleading headlines muddy the proverbial waters when it comes to recipes, food, and nutrition. On rare occasions when time allows, I consult the experts to cut through the nonsense and serve up the real story. And always call out bad cooking advice when I find it.