We were lucky to catch up with Kylie Mazon-Chambers recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kylie, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Living in an age of social media where there are so many platforms to create content for can be mentally and creatively draining. I’ve tried to slow down a bit and keep my creativity alive by experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. I find so much inspiration for my cooking from traveling and dining out at some of the incredible restaurants New York has to offer. There are so many cuisines to explore! I take photos of restaurant menus to use for inspiration when I’m in a rut and I keep a list of ingredient combinations and things I’m inspired by in my notes app to look back on when I’m feeling uninspired. Additionally, I believe that taking breaks and going for a walk to clear my head can help me recharge and keep my creativity flowing!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the writer, cook, and photographer behind the food blog, Cooking with Cocktail Rings. I live in Brooklyn, NY with my husband, son, dog and cat. My first cookbook, “Share + Savor,” showcases my worldly food knowledge with inspiration from travels with fun, easy, and delicious appetizer and charcuterie boards.
My goal is to create restaurant-quality recipes people can easily make in their own home. For me cooking is cathartic — it doesn’t have to be perfect, and there is plenty of room for experimentation. Whoever told you that you shouldn’t play with your food is wrong! I believe you should think of instructions more as guidelines, written to show you the general way. Cooking takes practice. Once you learn the basics you can put your own spin on recipes and the opportunities are endless!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The combination of my photography, cooking and background in communications have been most impactful in my success as a food blogger. Of course I am always continuing to learn and grow. For anyone entering the world of food blogging my biggest tip is to be consistent!
When it comes to learning to cook, I think so many people get nervous they are going to mess it up! And I understand ingredients are expensive so it isn’t something you want to risk! Practice makes perfect so I think it’s important not to be discouraged if something doesn’t turn out perfect on the first try! I think it’s important to start with basic recipes and build on them to create more complex dishes.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
As I mentioned the world of social media is ever evolving with new platforms and changing algorithms. It can be difficult to keep up, especially while being a mom! I recently attended the Fresh Air retreat with other food bloggers in Miami, Florida. It was reassuring to speak with peers and find ways to problem solve together. I have been spread thin the past year as I navigate motherhood all while running a business so I’ve realized it’s time to invest in myself and my business and bring on additional hands to help. This way I can focus on being more strategic with my recipe development and social media!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cookingwithcocktailrings.com
- Instagram: @cookingwithcocktailrings
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cookingwithcocktailrings/
Image Credits
photos of Kylie were taken by Mallory Holcomb. The food photos are taken by Kylie Mazon-Chambers.
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