Chelsea Winter’s plant-based evolution

Beloved Kiwi cook Chelsea Winter ended last year on a high note when her latest collection of recipes, ‘Tasty’, became the bestselling New Zealand book of 2024. Not just in the food category but across the board. 

But despite being a queen in the kitchen, Chelsea assures us that mealtimes at her place are as hectic as in any other household. “I don’t think I've ever had a relaxed meal with the kids in my life!” laughs the mother of Sky, 5, and Sage, 3. “Maybe some kids are different, but with us there’s always some drama. One day they love something and the next they’re just not interested. It’s utterly confounding. Honestly, I find it hard and I’m meant to be really good at this stuff, so I don't know how everyone else manages!” 

A recent crowd favourite however, has been a plant-based creamy roast pumpkin pasta from ‘Tasty’, which uses ground cashews to give the richness that dairy would otherwise provide.  While the recipes in ‘Tasty’ are predominantly plant-based, Chelsea also offers many suggestions for how meat or dairy can also be incorporated. It’s reflective of Chelsea’s own flexible approach to food these days. 

“I was really passionate about my plant-based diet for a few years, and I found it beneficial in so many ways. I did heaps of research, found out where food comes from and at what cost, and I learned a whole new way of cooking. But then I arrived at a place where I was like, ‘I've done that now and I’ve got what I need out of that more black and white approach. Now I want a bit more balance.’ Sometimes having a good nourishing home-cooked stew is what I need, and I can feel the good that it does for my body.”  

Captions: Book cover (left) and photo by credit to Tamara West (right).

Making plant-based eating more accessible 

Chelsea’s foray into plant-based books began with ‘Supergood’ in 2020. While breaking away from her traditional fare was a bold move at the time, Chelsea reflects now: “I think that book was great for demystifying that way of eating for people. It showed that you can still make simple yummy food that doesn’t scare the family. It’s also great for people who are dealing with intolerances and allergies.” 

With 7 books under her belt now, Chelsea is well used to the creative process, which she balances with the many demands of parenting. “I’ll usually work on a few recipes a week when Sky’s at school and my nanny’s looking after Sage for a few hours. But when it comes to shoot week, well that’s just carnage,” she laughs.  

Next comes the writing and editing phase, where Chelsea makes a big effort to pour plenty of personality into the mix. “I feel like if someone reads a recipe, they want to hear my voice. They want to feel like I’m there with them, just chatting them through it. It makes it a more connective experience and more authentic, rather than just a recipe from the internet.”  

Once the book is done, Chelsea then prepares for one of her favourite parts of her job: meeting the fans. “Going out on the road is really incredible. I don’t take it for granted that people come and spend their evenings with me. It’s always a buzz, especially in the smaller towns where there’s a great turnout.  

“I get people who say, ‘I’ve followed you since day one,’ or, ‘You’ve literally taught me to cook.’ It makes me so emotional because I can get quite insular. I’m not out and about heaps and I kind of forget that I’ve got all these recipes out there that are having an impact on people every day.” 

A slice of country life 

Having moved to rural Taranaki in 2022, Chelsea’s pace of life has certainly slowed down in a way she’s very happy with. “This is perfect for where I’m at in my life. I don't think at any other time I would have been able to appreciate it for what it is but boy, I do now!  It’s a great little community, the beach is 5 minutes away, and there’s a Four Square just down the road which has everything I need. I just love it here. It’s easy, peaceful and clean.” 

When Chelsea first moved into her new home, creating an impressive vege garden was a big focus, but she’s since had to face facts on what she can manage. “I ended up ignoring it for a year because I was too busy and it just got overgrown. In the end I just had to mow over it,” she laughs.  

“I did want some nice flowers and I’ve got lots of dahlias growing, so that’s something. It’s a shame, but I can’t be superwoman,” she smiles. “So I just have to let stuff go.”  

Despite acknowledging that she can’t do it all, Chelsea’s agenda is still pretty packed. She’s launched a new range of kitchen utensils in supermarkets, there’s a trip to Bali with her kids to see her partner who lives part of the year there, and then she’s hosting a tour group in Vietnam with Trafalgar Tours. And finally, of course, there’ll be another book towards the end of the year. 

But for now, she’s still buzzing about the success of ‘Tasty’. “It’s so beautiful to see something you put so much work into become so well loved. I feel really lucky that I get to do this. It’s a pretty fulfilling thing.” 

Caption: Chelsea Winter on a beach credit to Tamara West.

Chelsea’s 3 top tips for great cooking 

1. Cooking needs to be an enjoyable experience, so put some good music on! I can’t cook without it. 
2. If you’re following a recipe, make sure it’s from someone you trust because having a fail can be really disappointing. 
3. Using good ingredients and fresh herbs is such a big one for me. Even if I’m just making scrambled eggs with some chopped chives and parsley and a good amount of salt and pepper, some good bread that has a nice crunch – simple, but delicious.