When voluntarily indoors, a good way to pass the time is to teach yourself a new skill and spend every day of solitude inching your way toward mastery. Goals are good! They give you something to (hyper)focus on. For many people right now, the new skill they’re pursuing is cooking, and the food professionals of the world (myself included) know there are a lot of people out there looking for help. So why not get on the internet and start helping each other out? Many great chefs and authors have decided to spend these odd days freely sharing everything they know.
Here are some of our favorite accounts to follow, if you’re in the market for some sage food-related advice that isn’t from me, The Takeout’s resident culinary dynamo—though you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram, too. Please note that my Instagram is mostly pictures of my cats, but I believe that qualifies as important information during these uncertain times.
@TheJoyofCooking has been America’s cooking advice lifeline for generations. And thanks to Twitter, you don’t even need to get up and walk over to your bookshelf when you need help. What a time to be alive!
Sara Calvosa Olson (@akihsara) is an indigenous Karuk author and food writer in northern California who is giving out advice on Native foodways, smoking, canning, and gathering. She also told me via Twitter that she knows quite a bit about acorn processing, and if you’ve been keeping up with things you know that acorns are the newest, hippest superfood.
Steve Sando over at @RanchoGordo is, as I’ve stated previously, The Pope of Beans, and he’s always dishing out free advice. Considering how many people are now sitting on stockpiles of dried beans, he might soon become the most important person in your life. (Apologies to my husband and children.)
Edd Kimber, aka @TheBoyWhoBakes, was the first winner of The Great British Baking Show, and is also fan of my famous recaps, which are a fun accompaniment to your binge-watching plans. He’s dispensing lots of free advice, walking his followers through various projects, and stressing out just like the rest of us are.
Another friend from across the pond: Niamh Shields (@EatLikeAGirl) is happy to help you with all your culinary needs. She’s got a new cookbook coming out soon, too, which looks ever so delightful:
Speaking of cookbooks, you should follow the authority on the subject, @PaulaForbes. Outside of being a damn good time on Twitter, she’s also the author of the popular substack newsletter The Stained Page News. While reading normally requires a paid subscription, she’s now made it free to all new subscribers and will be sending her favorite cookbook recipes out to thousands of inboxes every week. Also follow specialty cookbook shops Kitchen Arts & Letters and Omnivore Books and order your books from them if you’re able!
If the help you need is at the bar, not the kitchen, Craft & Cocktails has your back.
Food writer Elazar Sontag has informed me that giving his Instagram followers ideas for pantry-centric meals is the only thing that’s been keeping him sane the past few days, so go help Elazar stay sane! He’s wonderful!
Legendary Italian chef Massimo Bottura is giving masterclasses on Instagram. He is delightful, and you should follow him post haste.
We’re all big fans of Leah Koenig, the author of The Jewish Cookbook. Read our glowing review, which features a fantastic recipe for a comforting yeasted pumpkin bread, and then follow her on Instagram and Facebook for free livestreamed cooking classes.
Got recommendations for other accounts we should be following? Drop them in the comments!