In this episode of Girl Talk with Tay, I sit down with Violet Witchel, food creator, Culinary Institute of America graduate, MasterChef contestant, and author of an upcoming cookbook, to talk about building a career in food, creating viral recipes, and culinary education, and the mindset behind long term success.Violet shares how she started posting content during the pandemic and unexpectedly built a thriving online community around cooking and recipe development. What began on TikTok evolved into a full time business, opening doors to MasterChef, culinary school, brand partnerships, and her upcoming cookbook.We talk about her experience on MasterChef and the difference between being an elevated home cook and a professional chef. Violet also shares why attending the culinary institute became such an important part of her journey and how it helped strengthen her skills, confidence, and credibility in the food industry.We also dived into the recipes that put Violet on the map which is her Dense Bean Salads. She shares how they took off online, why they resonated with so many people, and how that momentum helped shape the next chapter of her career.Beyond recipe creation, Violet shares practical cooking tips every home cook can use. We discuss mise en place, kitchen organization, efficient cooking habits, and simple systems that make preparing meals more enjoyable.We also explore how Violet spots emerging food trends, why she believes eating habits are evolving, and what she sees ahead in the food and wellness space.Finally, Violet gives us a behind the scenes look at her upcoming cookbook featuring high-fiber, gluten-free recipes, dozens of new Dense Bean Salads, easy weeknight dinners, breakfast ideas, and culinary techniques designed to make cooking feel more approachable. xo, Tay ⸻ Follow Violet Witchel! 🤍 Substack: https://violetcooks.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/violetwitchel/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@violetwitchel?lang=en ⸻ Let’s Connect! 🤍 https://taylorlove.com Shop Omnilux Red Light Therapy with code TAYLORLOVE: http://omniluxled.com/taylorlove Shop LTK (beauty, wellness, home, & styling) - https://www.shopltk.com/explore/taylor_lovee ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/taylorlove Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/taylor_lovee Podcast IG: https://instagram.com/girltalkwithtaypod Beauty Brand IG: https://www.instagram.com/loveebeauty.co Join Taylor’s email list: https://taylorlove.myflodesk.com/subscribe Shop Caraway with code TAYLORLOVE: https://carawayhome.com/taylorlove Subscribe to the Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@taylorlovepeterson/podcasts