Exclusive: Cookbook Author Gaby Dalkin 'Wants to Continue to Bring People Together Over Food'

Gaby Dalkin has become a famous blogger and chef, and though she's put out a slew of cookbooks and her website, What's Gaby Cooking, is a hit, she has more to achieve in her career.

"I want to continue to bring people together, from all walks of life, over food. I want to do more in-person events and bring people together from different walks of life to share a meal and make new friends — and I’m super excited to launch our newest venture: Dalkin&Co! Your go-to spot for seasonings and pantry staples," the 37-year-old, who teamed up with Tillamook to create two delicious summer sandwiches that are to die for, exclusively tells Morning Honey.

"Building What's Gaby Cooking was a slow roll since 2009, and it took a long time to see traction. So, I am enthused by every milestone that we hit, including meeting people at my book tours and working with bigger brands like Tillamook. It’s such an exciting part of my career, and we live in a world where we don’t know where digital is going next, so its fun to see what sticks," she adds. "The highlight of my career is seeing my recipes in action in other people’s kitchens. Hearing from people that I make cooking less intimidating, you can’t beat that."

The blogger is quite busy, as her next cookbook is "all about de-mystifying grilling."

"For me, grilling doesn’t have to be a whole hog or many racks of ribs. It can be a simple burger, a great piece of chicken, one rack of ribs. I wanted to help people see that grilling isn’t that different than cooking on the stove or using your oven – it’s just outside!" she explains, adding that she would "love to continue to write cookbooks."

"My two most favorite parts are the team I have to help me create the book (my food stylist, prop stylist and photographer). We are basically like a mind-meld of WGC, and it's so much fun. My other favorite part is the book tour, dinner parties, hearing how my recipes impact people’s lives is the best part of my career, period. My least favorite part is editing. When you look at that many words over and over, you start to think you’re spelling simple words like 'the' wrong!" she adds.

Additionally, she's launching a spice line called Dalkin&Co. "We are going to start with my most popular seasoning blends. For me, creating products that people can incorporate into food to make their cooking lives easier is a win. Having blends you can use for multi-purpose recipes in a big time-saver," she shares.

Not to mention, Dalkin is thrilled to team up with Tillamook. "Tillamook is a dream brand I have always wanted to work with, and I have been a supporter and purchaser of their products for years. So, when I heard from them, I was obviously in," she says.

"For me, a burger is quintessential summer and we all need to know how to do it properly! The grilled chicken is like my spin on a club with a cilantro vinaigrette and shredded lettuce. Sometimes I think chicken sandwiches can be boring and I wanted to give them one that wasn’t boring at all," she says of the yummy creations.

If you're not savvy in the kitchen, Dalkin's advise is easy: keep it simple!

"Find one thing you are interested in learning, like a salad dressing or a burger with a great cheddar from Tillamook, and just do that over and over until you get comfy. Then pick something adjacent to that and keep building. A few months later, you’ll have a few things you are confident in and you can mix and match and put your own spin on things," she says.