Dixie Chik Cooks - Thinking About What’s For Dinner While Eating Lunch!

The mastermind behind Dixie Chik Cooks, Shea is a self-taught recipe developer, food photographer, and influencer with a fiery passion for all things culinary. Known for her obsession with jalapeños and an undying love for burgers, Shea brings a fresh and fearless approach to home cooking. Her journey started as a personal chronicle of recipes for her family, but her creativity and talent quickly turned it into a full-fledged business. Armed with her Canon EOS M50 and an ever-curious palate, she continues to push the boundaries of flavor, capturing mouthwatering dishes that inspire thousands. In this exclusive interview with Delivery Rank, Shea shares her culinary inspirations, her journey as a self-made food entrepreneur, and why she believes the kitchen is the best therapy.

You describe cooking as your therapy. What are some of the most therapeutic dishes for you to create, and why do they have that effect on you?

Lasagna is probably the most therapeutic - it has multiple layers and requires chopping of onions, garlic, etc. It's like an art. Of course, one could use a food processor, but the chopping is therapeutic to me.

Your Southern roots are evident in your recipes and style. How do you strike a balance between traditional Southern flavors and creative, modern twists?

It's how I eat. I love a large variety of foods, but ultimately my Southern heritage is at the core of what I make whether it's pimento cheese on a burger or putting sheet pan sausage and veggies over grits.

What was the moment when you realized that your food blog, which started as a hobby, could become a thriving business? What advice would you give to others hoping to turn their passion into a career?

I realized that this had transitioned when I was accepting spots on local network news morning shows and negotiating with food brands for jobs. That was a stark contrast from the beginning of this journey. If I were to give any advice it would be to treat your passion like a business if that's your goal. Get an LLC, keep track of expenses, make a media kit - if you're serious about your business you'll be taken seriously.

Photography is a big part of the food blogging world. How has your approach to food photography evolved since you started, and what’s your favorite part about capturing your dishes on camera?

I have learned so much about photography since starting this. In the beginning I had no idea what I was doing, so I sought knowledge from other food bloggers and from books; a favorite is Helene Dujardin's Plate to Pixel. When I look at photos I took in 2010 I can see the evolution, but I still have a lot to learn.

As a self-taught cook, what was one of the most challenging techniques you mastered, and how did you overcome any initial struggles with it?

Probably the most challenging technique was making a good medium-rare steak using a cast iron pan, the stove and oven. It's all in the timing and the heat. When I learned to use a timer, I had no problem.

To read more about Dixie Chik Cooks, please visit https://www.dixiechikcooks.com/