The Firestarter Five with Amanda Haas

Five quick questions to dig a little deeper

Amanda Haas, age 52, San Francisco Bay area
Website // Instagram // Substack:

Just the Way You Are

Amanda Haas is an accomplished food writer, cooking instructor, video host, and cookbook author. She has contributed to over a dozen cookbooks and written three of her own, including the best-selling book “The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: The Delicious Way to Reduce Inflammation and Stay Healthy” (Chronicle Books, 2016), “The Vibrant Life: Eat Well, Be Well (Chronicle Books, August 2019), and most recently “Homemade Simple: Effortless Dishes for a Busy Life (Abrams, October 2023)”

After spending seven years as the Culinary Director for Williams-Sonoma, Amanda struck out on her own to start Amanda Haas Cooks, a culinary content company focused on improving our health through food.  Most recently, Amanda launched “House of Haas,” an online cooking school that shares her passion for culinary instruction with people all over the world.

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Is your life what you thought it would be? Why or why not?

Yes and no. No because I thought I would be happily married with children, and that my partner and I would have built our life together, working to support each other's dreams. The children happened-which I am so grateful for-but the partnership fizzled. But now I am living out my career goals more deeply than I could ever have imagined. I felt an obligation to support my family after the divorce, which has become a major blessing. And I can't remember why I thought I needed a partner for any of this!

What are you most proud of so far in your life?

Accomplishing some of my biggest career goals while nurturing my relationship with my sons. When I write cookbooks, create and open businesses, and refuse to give up on my creative career, they get to witness their mother acting as the strongest, most courageous and fearless version of herself-even when it's terrifying!

What worry do you carry around that doesn’t serve you?

That I'm not enough for others simply as myself. (Which as I write it sounds ridiculous, but it is something I work on every day of my life.)

What is one thing you want to achieve before your life is over?

I want to have a cooking show where I show off other people's talents, then bring people together around the table after each episode for meaningful conversation and dialogue.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I want my work legacy to be that I left the culinary industry better than I found it, i.e. I was able to lift up society by providing jobs, food, and services for those who are less privileged than me-particularly children and teens. And personally, I want every person in my orbit to feel like I loved them well, and that I found laughter and joy in everything-even through the most difficult times.