Apple News In Conversation Samin Nosrat doesn’t love Thanksgiving food. Here’s what she says will improve it.
Nov 20, 2025
Samin Nosrat, acclaimed chef and author of the bestseller Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, shares her insights on cooking and holiday gatherings. She explores how personal loss reshaped her cooking approach, emphasizing joyful, shareable meals in her new book, Good Things. Samin critiques traditional Thanksgiving flavors, advocating for bold accents and textures. She also offers practical tips to alleviate hosting stress, encouraging delegating tasks and early prep. Plus, she stresses the importance of creating a signature dish rooted in passion.
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Cooking As Time With Loved Ones
- Samin Nosrat reframed cooking as spending precious time with loved ones rather than pure achievement.
- She wrote Good Things to center meals on connection and small joyful dishes to share.
Loss Reshaped Her Relationship To Cooking
- Samin recounts losing her father and how that confrontation with mortality reshaped her cooking priorities.
- His death pushed her to value presence and joy over relentless achievement.
Recipes Aren't Guarantees
- Samin criticizes the promise of recipes as fixed guarantees because ingredients and conditions change.
- She balances this by including the most crucial information while encouraging intuitive cooking.
