From the Kitchen, With Heart

Hey there — I’m so happy you’ve found your way here.

This blog was born from a simple truth I discovered over the years: the most unforgettable moments in life often happen around the table. Whether it’s a loud family dinner filled with laughter, a quiet Sunday morning with pancakes and coffee, or a spontaneous meal shared with a friend — food is never just food. It’s comfort. It’s memory. It’s connection.

That’s why I chose the name Not Just Recipe. Because here, we don’t just measure ingredients and follow steps. We tell stories. We celebrate the little moments that make each recipe more than just a dish — moments like your grandmother’s secret touch, your dad’s failed (but hilarious) BBQ attempts, or the first time your child helped stir the sauce. Each recipe comes with a piece of real life, and that’s what makes them truly special.

What Makes Our Recipes Different

In a world flooded with perfect food photos and soulless instructions, Not Just Recipe is a return to the heart of cooking. Every recipe shared here has been cooked, tasted, and loved in a real kitchen — not in a studio. They’re honest, achievable, and full of personality. I don’t aim for perfection. I aim for deliciousness, warmth, and a sense of home.

You’ll find:

Recipes with a backstory — because food is richer when it comes with meaning.
Honest tips and tweaks — because no two kitchens (or cooks) are the same.
Moments, not just meals — we focus on how food brings us together.

This blog is for anyone who believes that cooking isn’t just a task — it’s a way to care, to create, and to connect.

So whether you’re here for a quick weekday meal or to find inspiration for your next family gathering, I hope you find more than just a recipe. I hope you find a spark of something familiar, joyful, and real.

Thanks for stopping by — and don’t forget to pull up a chair.

My name is Tom (well, let’s call me Tom — I’m your virtual chef, storyteller, and kitchen companion here at Not Just Recipe). I’m not a celebrity chef. I didn’t go to culinary school in Paris. But I did grow up in a house where the kitchen was always warm, noisy, and full of life. Where every meal, no matter how simple, meant something. And that, right there, is where this journey started.

Where It All Began

Some of my earliest memories involve food. Not just the taste, but the feeling of it. The clatter of dishes. The smell of something slow-cooking on a lazy Sunday. The way my mom would sing softly while kneading bread. The way my grandfather told stories, always with a glass of red wine in hand and a piece of cheese in the other.

I didn’t know it then, but those were sacred moments. They shaped me. They made me understand something that took me years to put into words: that food is never just food. It’s the glue that holds us together when words aren’t enough. It’s the language of love, nostalgia, care — and sometimes even forgiveness.

That’s why, years later, when I finally had the courage to start my own food blog, I knew exactly what to call it: Not Just Recipe.

Why “Not Just Recipe”?

Because every dish has a story.

Sometimes it’s the story of where it came from — a region, a tradition, a family secret passed down through generations. Sometimes it’s the story of who made it — a father trying to impress his kids with homemade pizza, a couple cooking together for the first time, a student experimenting with leftovers.

And sometimes, it’s the story of what it meant at a particular moment in life. A roast chicken that brought comfort after a long week. A bowl of soup that reminded you of your grandmother. A cake that turned an ordinary Tuesday into a celebration.

Not Just Recipe is about all of that. It’s a space where recipes come with a heartbeat, and where food is never separate from feeling.

What You’ll Find Here

Let me be clear: you’ll definitely find recipes here. Delicious ones. Tried and tested. Made in a real kitchen with real ingredients. Nothing fancy or intimidating, unless you want it to be. I share meals I cook for my friends, for my family, for myself when I need to slow down and nourish something more than just my hunger.

But you’ll also find stories. Sometimes mine, sometimes yours (I love hearing from readers), sometimes inspired by people I’ve met or places I’ve traveled. Because a good recipe is like a photograph — it captures a moment. And I want to share the full picture.

Here’s what makes Not Just Recipe a little different:

Every dish has a memory attached – I never share a recipe just because it “performs well.” If it’s on this blog, it means it means something.
No perfect kitchens here – I believe cooking should be joyful, not stressful. I write my recipes with the home cook in mind — messy counters, missing utensils, and all.
Seasonal, honest, and flexible – I cook what feels right for the moment. That might mean cozy stews in the fall, fresh salads in the spring, or cookies just because it’s Tuesday.
The “why” behind the food – In every post, I try to share why I made the dish. What inspired it. What it reminds me of. What it taught me.

Because to me, that’s the difference between cooking and creating.

It’s About More Than Food

What keeps me going — through the recipe testing, the writing, the endless dishes — is knowing that someone, somewhere, is cooking one of these meals in their home. That maybe my words made them feel less alone. Or gave them the courage to try something new. Or reminded them of someone they love.

Cooking is, and always will be, my way of connecting. It’s how I show care. How I slow down. How I make sense of the world when it feels too fast, too digital, too disconnected.

That’s why this blog exists. Not to impress. Not to compete. But to invite. To welcome. To gather.

What I Hope You’ll Take Away

If you’re here, maybe you’re looking for dinner ideas. Maybe you’re just browsing. Maybe you’re new to cooking or maybe you’ve been at it for decades. Whatever brought you here, I want this space to feel like a big wooden kitchen table — worn but welcoming, always ready for one more plate.

I hope you find:

Inspiration – to try new flavors, to revisit old favorites, to cook with your hands and your heart.
Connection – through stories that remind you you’re not alone in loving, missing, remembering, or simply eating.
Permission – to make mistakes, to skip a step, to serve cereal for dinner sometimes. There’s no judgment here.
Joy – because that’s what cooking should bring, above all else.

Come As You Are

Not Just Recipe isn’t about being the best cook. It’s about being a real one. Someone who burns toast sometimes. Someone who throws together dinner with whatever’s in the fridge. Someone who keeps showing up to the stove because it feels like home.

If that sounds like you — or who you want to be —you’re in the right place.

So pull up a chair. Let’s cook, share, laugh, and remember together.

Because food is never just about what’s on the plate.
It’s about who you share it with. And the stories that come with every bite.

With all my heart,
Marc
Creator of Not Just Recipe