Chelsea Cole
Hi! I’m Chelsea, the creator behind A Duck’s Oven. I’m a full-time food blogger, cookbook author, and former marketing director from Portland, Oregon.
I started A Duck’s Oven in 2010 during my junior year at the University of Oregon. What started as a passion project and way to encourage my fellow college students to think outside the pizza box has grown into a beautiful, fun, creative career.
I live in the Portland area with my husband and our two young children. When I’m not in the kitchen or at my computer, you can often find me reading, junk journaling, or learning how to make cheese.
Expertise
- I have been food blogging and sharing my tried and tested recipes here since 2010 (that’s over 15 years!).
- I self published my first two cookbooks, Everyday Sous Vide and Sous Vide Meal Prep. That process led me to create The Cookbook Lab, where I help my fellow food bloggers learn how to self publish their own cookbooks and walk them through the process from start to finish.
- In addition to my sous vide cookbooks, I am also the author of A Feast of Thorns and Roses: The Unofficial Cookbook of A Court of Thorns and Roses, with more book-themed cookbooks in the works.
- I formerly did marketing for the International Sous Vide Association and am passionate about introducing home cooks to the magic of sous vide cooking.
- I have been featured on The Ultimate Blog Podcast, Eat Blog Talk, and Food Blogger Pro Podcast, have spoken at multiple conferences including Tastemaker and Food Blogger Summit, and make regular appearances on my local morning show, AM Northwest.
My Cooking Story
The truth is that I didn’t grow up loving to cook. My mom was a good cook, but it wasn’t something I had much interest in.
But when I got to college and was faced with feeding myself in my own apartment, I found cooking dinner to be a great way to unwind from a long day of classes and work. Eventually, I began using my then-boyfriend (he’s now my husband!) and my roommate as test subjects for new recipe ideas.
I found that so many of my peers relied on expensive takeout or packaged food, which wasn’t the most nutritious or, frankly, delicious. I decided to start A Duck’s Oven during my junior year to document my learning process and easily share recipes with my fellow students.
Seven years into food blogging, I discovered sous vide cooking and fell head over heels in love with the technique. Instead of a “food nerd” approach, I’ve taken a practical home-cook approach with my circulator and share those recipes on my blog and in my cookbooks.
Over the years, cooking has remained one of my favorite ways to unpack my brain after a long day, often with my toddler by my side. I rely on meal planning and using “cheater ingredients” during the week and love taking on bigger cooking projects, such as sous vide pastrami, on the weekends.
Becoming a mom has made me an even bigger fan of meal planning, as well as finding ways to introduce my kids to new flavors and getting them involved in the kitchen.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram to get a glimpse into my everyday life, current meal planning routine, cookbook release updates, and more.
For press-related matters and bookings, please email chelsea@aducksoven.com.
My Favorite Recipes
Some of my favorite recipes from A Duck’s Oven that I make on a regular basis for my family include: