Slate Daily Feed Death, Sex & Money | Samin Nosrat’s Recipe for Self-Compassion
Dec 16, 2025
Samin Nosrat, a celebrated chef and author of *Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat*, opens up about navigating depression and grief while launching her new cookbook, *Good Things*. She explores the balance between hosting and being hosted, sharing heartwarming tales of cooking disasters and the importance of community support. Samin discusses her personal journey of learning to receive love, the role of rituals like Monday night dinners, and the transformative power of slowing down amidst professional pressures. Gardening therapy and newfound romance enrich her narrative of self-compassion.
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Early Acts Of Hosting Built Community
- Samin Nosrat described inviting Anna to lunch early in their friendship and hosting children with stickers and popcorn toppings.
- That hospitality persisted even as Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat made her famous and demands grew.
One Success Doesn’t Define Your Worth
- Samin realized Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat came from trying to be “two kids” for her family and that she needn't replicate that pressure.
- She reframed her new book as work that can be simply her, not a performance to prove worth.
Generosity Can Override Self-Protection
- Samin struggles to guard personal boundaries despite trying to be protective after success.
- Her impulse to show up for others often overrides self-care even when she knows better.
