5 minutes with food writer Emily Gussin
April 29, 2026
Few people embody the joy of cooking quite like food writer and recipe developer Emily Gussin. Chef‑trained, editorially sharp and endlessly curious, she has shaped her career around exploring flavour and telling stories through food.
Have you always loved food? Was there a moment when you realised it was the career for you? Yes! I was cooking at my mum’s side from a very young age and by the time I went to university to study English, I was a pretty confident cook. So much so that I ended up cooking for lots of my flatmates in halls. I wanted to get into journalism and while I was at uni it clicked that I could combine my two passions, food and writing, and I never looked back.
How did you get started in the food industry? While I was at uni, I did lots of work experience at magazines and I focused my energy on getting placements on food titles, so I could work in their test kitchens. I worked in publishing for a few years after graduating then did a Cordon Bleu diploma to train as a chef. After that I moved more into recipe development and food styling for food magazines.
What are your favourite ingredients to cook with? I love cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients so it’s changing all the time. I love shopping from small, local producers and supporting independent brands then letting the flavours lead me in the kitchen.
What’s your favourite go-to meal? I don’t really have favourites; I’m driven by my mood and cravings, and I always want to try new things. But I’d say my go-to staple is eggs. They are so versatile but quick and easy, and I always find them very comforting. At the moment, I’m obsessed with putting crispy chilli oil on eggs.
Sweet or savoury? Definitely savoury. I do have a sweet tooth but even with sugary foods, I like depth and umami.
Do you have a favourite cuisine? Not really! One day I’m craving British classics, like pie and mash, and the next I want a bowl of spicy broth. I let the mood take me!
Tell us about the Mellow Yellow pie you made for us in February: I love cooking with Mellow Yellow because it’s a British grown and made product. Choosing local is a great way to reduce our impact on the planet and it helps when it’s delicious too! It’s a great all round oil for cooking, working well for simply frying ingredients all the way through to baking with it. In the mushroom pie recipe I created, you use the rapeseed oil to make the pie crust as well as to cook the filling. The pastry is crisp and light, and flakes really well.
What’s the best part about being a food content creator? I’m very lucky to spend all of my time thinking about, cooking and eating food! Creating content for my own social, in particular, gives me a lot more freedom than most of my work. As I write recipes and do food styling for a variety of editorial and commercial brands, the focus is on telling their stories and using their style. Whereas in my own content, I can just be me and share recipes just because I want to cook them.
What does 2026 look like so far for you? I went freelance last year, after leaving delicious. magazine, so I’m enjoying the initial phase of being my own boss! I love the variety of freelance life so I’ll embrace that this year and try lots of new things (all in the world of food!).
