My Purpose: Where Comfort Food Meets Real Life
I’ll never forget that rainy Tuesday evening the one that changed everything. I was exhausted, almost cancelled on my friends, but something made me push through and cook anyway. My small New York kitchen smelled like maple and butter, the chicken was browning just right, and when everyone sat down around my cramped dining table, something magical happened.
My friend Sarah took her first bite of that maple-glazed chicken with creamy cheddar cauliflower, closed her eyes, and said, “Nessy, this feels like home.”
That’s when I got it. Food isn’t just about feeding people it’s about comforting them. It’s about creating that moment when someone’s shoulders drop, their stress melts away, and they feel genuinely cared for. That single sentence became my entire purpose.
Because here’s the thing: we’re all exhausted. We’re all overwhelmed. And sometimes, the only thing that makes sense at the end of a hard day is something crispy, something creamy, and something that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.
My Mission: Making Comfort Food Joyful Again
Every single week, I’m in my kitchen (burning things, over-salting dishes, learning what not to do). I test every recipe until it works for real home cooks with real busy lives and real grocery budgets. No fancy equipment required. No ingredients you can’t pronounce.
I show up at Union Square Greenmarket on Sunday mornings, chatting with farmers about their best zucchini, learning what’s actually in season, and figuring out how to make it taste like comfort. Then I bring it all back to my kitchen and turn it into something you’ll actually want to make on a Wednesday night.
Because thousands of you trust me with your dinner plans, your family gatherings, your “I need something good today” moments. And honestly? That responsibility keeps me up at night in the best possible way. I don’t take it lightly that you’re inviting me into your kitchen.
My Vision: Bringing Back the Joy of Cooking
Picture this: You walk into your kitchen after a long day, and instead of dreading dinner, you actually feel excited. You make something crispy and golden, something creamy and indulgent, and it turns out good. Your family asks for seconds. You feel proud instead of stressed.
I’m working toward a world where home cooking isn’t another chore on your to-do list—it’s the part of your day that brings you peace. Where comfort food doesn’t mean guilt or heaviness, just genuine satisfaction and warmth.
Where Sunday dinners become weekly traditions again. Where the smell of something delicious in the oven is the soundtrack to your home life.
My Core Values: What I Stand For (Even When It’s Hard)
Comfort Without Compromise
Real comfort food can be nourishing. I know because I learned this the hard way after years of thinking indulgent meant unhealthy, I finally figured out that crispy roasted Brussels sprouts with pistachios can feel just as satisfying as anything fried. If a recipe makes you feel sluggish or guilty afterward, I start over. Period.
Texture is Everything
The crackle of golden zucchini. The creaminess of melted brie. The way honey-roasted vegetables caramelize at the edges. I’m obsessed with how food feels in your mouth, not just how it tastes. Every recipe gets what I call “the texture test”—if it’s all soft or all crunchy, it fails. Life needs balance, and so does your plate.
Everyday Ingredients, Elevated
I’ll never use an ingredient you can’t find at your regular grocery store. Never. I learned this after my disastrous “truffle oil phase” when half my readers couldn’t even find the stuff. Now? If I can’t get it at my neighborhood market, it doesn’t make the cut. But that doesn’t mean boring it means creative.
Honest About the Failures
Let’s talk about the Great Artichoke Dip Disaster of 2023. Three batches. All grainy. I was ready to throw my whisk across the kitchen. But I figured it out (temperature control, people!), and now I share those failures with you because learning from my kitchen disasters saves you from yours. I’ll always tell you what went wrong, how many tries it took, and what I’d do differently.
Joy Over Perfection
Some nights, my cheese melts unevenly. Sometimes my chicken browns a little too much on one side. And you know what? It’s still delicious. It still brings comfort. I refuse to make cooking stressful by chasing some Instagram-perfect ideal. If it’s made with care and tastes good, it’s good enough. Actually, it’s better than good enough it’s real.
Meet the Face Behind These Recipes
Nessy Chiamo – Homegrown Chef, Comfort Food Enthusiast, Your Kitchen Friend
Age: 43
Location: New York, NY
Email: [email protected]
I wasn’t trained in a culinary school I was raised by the rhythm of family dinners and Sunday comfort spreads. My earliest food memory is standing on a stool in our small New York apartment, watching my mother’s well-worn skillet sizzle with butter and potatoes. The smell would fill our entire place, and somehow, everything felt okay when dinner was cooking.
The Messy Truth About My Journey
For years, I chased perfection. I burned more pans than I can count. I ruined more dinners than I’d ever admit to most people. There was a solid year where I couldn’t get crispy vegetables to save my life—they’d either come out soggy or burnt to a crisp (pun unfortunately intended).
I almost gave up on cooking altogether after a particularly disastrous Thanksgiving where my “showstopper” casserole was literally inedible. My aunt tried to be nice about it. It didn’t work.
But somewhere in all those failures, I learned something important: real comfort food doesn’t need to be flawless. It just needs to feel like care in a bite. It needs to taste like someone gave a damn.
What I Actually Know (The Real Credentials)
- 20+ years of home cooking experience, learning through trial, error, and way too many burnt dinners
- Self-taught chef who learned by reading old cookbooks, talking to farmers, and testing recipes until my family begged for takeout
- Comfort food specialist focusing on crispy-creamy-balanced recipes that satisfy both body and soul
- Seasonal cooking advocate with weekly visits to Union Square Greenmarket for the freshest ingredients
- Recipe developer with a focus on approachable, everyday ingredients transformed into something special
My Approach These Days
I focus on recipes that satisfy both body and soul. My cooking philosophy is beautifully simple: crispy, creamy, balanced. Give me fresh zucchini, good butter, and a hot pan, and I’ll show you magic. Add some cream, herbs, and time, and we’re talking comfort on a plate.
I believe every ingredient has a story where it came from, who grew it, what season blessed us with it. Before I season anything, I listen. I smell. I taste. That connection to the food makes everything taste better.
When I’m Not Cooking
You’ll find me at the Union Square Greenmarket on Sunday mornings (yes, even in winter), picking through zucchini and chatting with farmers about this season’s best potatoes. I love quiet mornings with old cookbooks, strong coffee, and no agenda.
My friends know me for cozy dinner parties where the music’s low, the candles are flickering, nobody’s judging anyone’s stories, and everyone leaves with leftovers and a full heart. Those nights when the food is just the beginning of the connection that’s when I feel most myself.
The Honest Stats
- 47 different versions of crispy zucchini before I got it perfect
- 12 burnt pans in my career (so far)
- Hundreds of Sunday mornings at the farmer’s market
- Thousands of you trusting me with your comfort food cravings
- One very patient circle of friends who’ve taste-tested everything
How I Actually Create These Recipes
The Testing Process (It’s Messier Than You Think)
Every recipe on this site goes through what I call “the Tuesday night test.” If I can’t make it after a long, exhausting day with ingredients from my regular grocery store, it doesn’t make the cut.
I cook each recipe at least three times once to figure out if the idea even works, once to refine the flavors and timing, and once more to make sure I didn’t just get lucky. Then I hand it to friends and ask for brutal honesty. “Would you actually make this?” is my favorite question.
My Research Process
I spend Sunday mornings talking to farmers about what’s fresh, what’s local, what’s actually worth buying this week. I read old cookbooks to understand traditional techniques, then I adapt them for modern, busy lives. I test ingredient substitutions because I know not everyone has ghee or fresh thyme in their kitchen.
When I’m developing seasonal recipes, I literally wait for the season. I won’t post a “spring asparagus” recipe in January just for clicks. That’s not authentic, and it’s not helpful.
The Failures I Don’t Post
For every recipe you see, there are two or three that didn’t work. The cauliflower “rice” that turned to mush. The sauce that split no matter what I tried. The dessert that looked beautiful but tasted like sweetened cardboard.
I don’t post those. But I learn from them, and sometimes, the lessons from failures end up in my tips for you.
Why Trust Me? (Fair Question!)
The Real Results
Look, I’m not going to pretend I have a Michelin star or a culinary degree from Paris. What I have is 20 years of making dinner every night, learning what actually works in a real home kitchen, and building a community of people who keep coming back for more.
I have readers who email me photos of their golden, crispy zucchini with messages like “First time my kids ate vegetables without complaining.” I have people who’ve made my maple-glazed chicken for their most important dinners anniversaries, job promotions, “I’m sorry” meals.
What My Community Says
“Your recipes feel like my grandmother’s cooking comforting, unfussy, and always delicious.” – Maria R.
“I’ve tried 15 of your recipes. Every single one worked exactly as promised. That doesn’t happen on the internet.” – James T.
“The way you explain texture and balance changed how I cook everything.” – Patricia K.
My Professional Approach
Even though I’m self-taught, I take this work seriously:
- Every ingredient measurement is tested multiple times
- I include both volume and weight measurements when it matters
- I explain why techniques work, not just what to do
- I update recipes when I discover better methods
- I respond to every comment and question (yes, really)
Our Community (That’s You!)
Here’s what I’ve learned over the years: this isn’t just my kitchen anymore. It’s ours.
You’re the ones who tell me when a recipe needs more salt. You’re the ones who share your own tweaks and variations. You’re the ones who encourage me when I’m doubting a new idea. You’ve taught me that comfort food means something different to everyone, and that’s beautiful.
Some of you are experienced home cooks looking for new ideas. Some of you are just learning to cook and need extra guidance. Some of you are cooking for one, some for families of six. But all of you deserve recipes that work and food that comforts.
How You Shape What I Create
When multiple people ask about gluten-free options, I test them. When someone mentions they can’t find an ingredient in their area, I figure out substitutions. When you tell me what you’re struggling with in the kitchen, that becomes my next recipe focus.
This blog exists because of you, for you, shaped by you.
My Promise to You
Editorial Standards (The Serious Stuff Said Simply)
Every recipe I share has been tested by me, in my actual home kitchen, with regular grocery store ingredients. I don’t post anything I wouldn’t serve to my own friends at my own dinner table.
When I make a mistake (and I do), I fix it immediately and note the update at the top of the recipe. If you catch an error, please tell me my ego can handle it, and accuracy matters more.
I only recommend products I actually use and love. If there’s an affiliate link, I’ll tell you. If a post is sponsored (rare), it’ll be clearly disclosed at the top. Your trust is worth infinitely more than any partnership could ever pay me.
Recipe Accuracy Commitment
- All recipes tested minimum 3 times before publishing
- Measurements verified and double-checked
- Cook times based on standard home equipment
- Substitutions tested when included
- Updates noted with dates at top of post
Fact-Checking Process
When I make claims about ingredients, techniques, or nutrition, I:
- Reference trusted culinary sources and food science research
- Consult with nutrition databases for dietary information
- Test techniques myself rather than assuming they work
- Correct any misinformation as soon as I learn about it
Ongoing Learning
I’m constantly evolving. I take online classes about food science, read new cookbooks, talk to professional chefs, and learn from my mistakes. When I discover I was wrong about something, I’m the first to admit it and update my content.
This blog isn’t a static thing it grows as I grow, gets better as I learn more.
Let’s Stay Connected (I Actually Read My Emails)
For Recipe Questions & Cooking Help:
Email me directly: [email protected]
I personally read and respond to every email. Usually within 24-48 hours, sometimes faster if I’m already in the kitchen testing recipes. Ask me anything ingredient substitutions, technique questions, “why didn’t this work?” troubleshooting. I genuinely love helping.
For Partnership & Collaboration Inquiries:
Email: [email protected]
If you’re a brand that aligns with my comfort-food-meets-quality values, let’s talk. I’m selective about partnerships, but I love working with companies that make real home cooking better.
For General Questions & Feedback:
Email: [email protected]
Random thoughts? Recipe requests? Just want to tell me about your cooking success? This is your spot. I love hearing from you.
On Social Media:
Instagram & Pinterest: @nessyrecipes
I share behind-the-scenes kitchen moments, seasonal market finds, and sneak peeks of recipes in development. Come hang out.
For Technical Support
Having trouble with the website, can’t access a recipe, or dealing with some wonky technical issue? I’m not the tech wizard here (I can barely restart my router without panic), but I have someone who is.
Technical Support: [email protected]
Response Time: Usually within 48 hours, sometimes faster for urgent access issues
Common things we can help with:
- Password resets and account access
- Subscription or newsletter issues
- Broken links or missing images
- Mobile site problems
- General website bugs
Please include screenshots if possible they help us fix things way faster!
Careers: Want to Join This Beautifully Chaotic Kitchen?
Right now, Nessy Recipes is mostly just me, my kitchen, and a whole lot of recipe testing. But as this community grows, I’m thinking about bringing on help maybe a part-time assistant to help with recipe testing, or a social media coordinator who gets the vibe.
What working with me would look like:
- Small, close-knit team energy (probably just a few of us)
- Flexible, remote-friendly when possible
- Focus on quality over quantity
- Real love for comfort food and home cooking required
- Patience with my constant “wait, let me try this one more way” approach
Not hiring right now? Still want to stay in touch for future opportunities? Email [email protected] and introduce yourself. Tell me what you’re passionate about, what skills you bring, and why comfort food matters to you. I keep every introduction, and when I’m ready to expand, I reach out to people who’ve already connected.
For Writers: Want to Share Your Comfort Food Story?
I’m always interested in hearing from writers and home cooks who want to contribute guest posts. While I write most of the content myself (this is very much a personal project), I occasionally feature guest voices who share the same values around comfort, quality, and real home cooking.
What I’m looking for:
- Personal, story-driven recipe content (not just ingredient lists)
- Focus on texture, flavor, and comfort
- Honest about failures and learning curves
- Approachable ingredients and techniques
- Your unique voice and perspective
What I’m NOT looking for:
- Generic SEO content written by AI
- Recipes you haven’t actually tested multiple times
- Overly complicated techniques for home cooks
- Content that’s been published elsewhere
How to pitch:
Email: [email protected]
Include:
- Brief introduction and why you love comfort food
- 2-3 writing samples (published or unpublished)
- Your recipe idea with a personal story angle
- Why you think it fits Nessy Recipes specifically
Fair warning: I’m incredibly picky about voice and quality. But if you make the cut, I’m also incredibly supportive, provide detailed feedback, and credit you prominently. We might not pay much (or at all) right now, but you’ll join a small circle of trusted contributors and get exposure to a growing, engaged community.
Last updated: October 2025
This page is a living document. As I grow, learn, and evolve, so does this content. That’s the beauty of this journey we’re all figuring it out together, one comforting meal at a time.
