We were lucky to catch up with Mary Nolan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mary, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

Failure has definitely been a part of my journey, but one that’s taken time to see the clarity it afforded. When I was a new college grad, I had big dreams of moving to New York and making my way in the burgeoning media-driven culinary scene of the early aughts. I wanted to work for Gourmet magazine and somehow I made that happen. But after a few years, I soon learned that I was in the right place but doing the wrong job. Going to culinary school was something I often pondered, but didn’t know if I should make the investment. While looking for a new job, I somehow found myself auditioning for a Food Network show. Retrospectively, I was definitely putting the cart before the horse–but as a young, green aspiring chef, I went with it. Next thing I knew, I was being offering my own cooking show pilot. I couldn’t have come up with this scenario in my wildest dreams. The experience was one of the toughest that I’ve had in my whole career. I didn’t know what I was doing and received very little guidance. The show didn’t do well and there wasn’t a lot of transparency or communication from the network. So, once again, I was looking for a job and trying to figure out what to do. Little did I know that I was about to embark on meeting my future husband (who first laid eyes on me while my show was airing) and a whole new career.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a freelance chef and recipe developer. I’ve worked in the food media for more than 2 decades with a variety of experience that ranges from restaurants to magazines. I’m passionate about sharing what I know, but also learning along the way. COVID changed the job landscape and I’ve had to retool my approach to how I make a living. Ultimately, I love cooking so I share that with people through cooking classes/demonstrations and I also “pop up” and sell ready-to-eat meals.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I feel my most authentic self when I’m cooking for other people. I love creating dish and seeing how the colors, textures and flavors come together in harmony. I struggle a bit with social media because I like to cook and have someone actually be able to enjoy my food (not just imagine what it tastes like!).

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I’m passionate about not wasting food or resources. I try and reinforce this message when I am teaching people cooking because it’s something my mother taught me. I think about this whenever I’m sourcing ingredients, preparing a dish, planning packaging, distribution, etc. It’s a mindset that I try and be cognizant of at all times–not just to keep costs low but to be a good steward of the earth.

Contact Info:

• Website: chefmarynolan.com
• Instagram: chefmarynolan

Image Credits
Mary Nolan