Cassie certainly knows her way around a kitchen. As Head of Food, she’s been developing recipes for over a decade. Her beautifully styled dishes often grace the cover of Good Food magazine, and thousands of her creations can be found on the website. Here, she shares her insights into the world of food publishing and offers valuable advice for aspiring recipe writers.
Looking for inspiration? Check out Cassie Best’s recipes, from delicious bakes to hearty family dinners.
How did you get started as a recipe writer?
‘I’ve always found joy in cooking – it’s where I’ve felt most at home. But after leaving school, I didn’t see it as a viable career path. The thought of becoming a chef was daunting, and I wasn’t yet aware of the wide range of roles available within the food industry.
I wanted to travel, so I joined an airline as cabin crew. During my days off, I’d cook dishes inspired by the places I visited. I collected cookbooks and food magazines obsessively and often jotted down my own recipes in a scrapbook. Eventually, it clicked, I wanted to be a food writer.
After some research, I found that Leiths Cookery School offered a one-year diploma that included the opportunity to win an internship at BBC Good Food. It sounded like the dream, so I signed up and hung up my wings. I gave the course everything I had and was lucky enough to secure the internship.
After six months, I was offered a permanent role as Assistant Food Editor. That’s when I really began to develop my skills as a recipe writer. At first, I was assigned simple recipes, side dishes and quick weeknight meals. I’d nervously submit my ideas to the Food Editor, then spend time in the test kitchen tweaking and refining them. Over time, I developed my own style. I aim to make recipes feel approachable, clear and helpful, always with a friendly tone and, most importantly, delicious results.’
Side dishes are the perfect way to begin your culinary journey. Explore our best side dish recipes, or try Cassie’s smashed Jerusalem artichoke with smoky feta & red pepper dip, roasted parsnips with salted honey almonds and scalloped garlic, lemon & cream potato gratin.
What do you like most about your job?
‘Being completely immersed in something I love: food! The day usually starts with a chat among the cookery team about what we’ve been eating, a new restaurant we’ve discovered, or an interesting ingredient that’s come our way.
Recipe writing is the highlight of my day, it’s where creativity and practicality meet. I love dreaming up new ideas and bringing them to life in the Test Kitchen. But my role extends beyond that. As Head of Food, I spend a lot of time tracking food trends, both in the UK and globally, looking at restaurant menus, supermarket launches, and what’s happening on social media. As well as focusing on our own food content innovation. Our planning happens months in advance, and there’s a lot of strategy involved in making sure our recipes offer something for every budget, every skill level, every occasion.’
Whether you’re just starting in the kitchen or love to bake without spending a fortune, we’ve got recipes to suit every cook. Discover our easy dinner recipes for simple, satisfying meals, or explore our budget-friendly baking recipes – because everyone deserves a little something sweet. With over 300 5-star ratings, Cassie’s three-ingredient peanut butter cookies are a great budget bake to try.
Is there anything you dislike about your job?
‘Occasionally we’ll get a bad review on one of the recipes on the website or app, which is tough as we put so much into them. We’ll always go back to the Test Kitchen and give it another run to see if we’ve missed something, but ultimately every recipe doesn’t suit every cook. Our feedback mechanism offers invaluable insights into what our audience likes and dislikes and helps us to make recipes they want to cook.’
Thorough recipe testing means dishes deliver on flavour and reliability. Try Cassie’s 5-star golden spiced pilaf with crispy shallots, zesty kale & blood orange tabbouleh, or creamy halloumi & tomato curry – all fail-safe dinner ideas worthy of a spot in your weekly line-up.
What is an average working day like?
‘I usually get to the office around 9:30am, grab a matcha and check emails. There may be briefs to send to food stylists or queries from the team to address. If I’m writing recipes, I’ll sketch out the initial concept and a rough ingredients list, then head to the test kitchen to bring it to life.
The testing process is thorough, and every recipe is tried multiple times to ensure it works seamlessly at home. Once I’m happy with the result, I write up the feature, including any helpful tips picked up during testing.
Lunch is often something from the test kitchen, if I’m not cooking, someone else on the team usually is! Most days also include planning meetings, content reviews, or discussions around photoshoots and video production.
Nothing goes to waste in the GF Test Kitchen, so if recipe development goes into the afternoon, we’ll take home leftovers for dinner.’
Find inspiration for reducing your food waste with our zero-waste recipes for everyday.
What would be your advice to young people looking to get into recipe writing or food publishing?
‘Read widely and often. Learn from as many food writers as you can. The best writers bring their personality into their recipes, it should feel like they’re right there with you in the kitchen. Think about your own voice. What’s your teaching style? Make your recipes helpful, personal and engaging. Offer tips and insights to make them more accessible.
Also, consider how to make your work stand out. For example, perfecting a classic like a bakewell tart is great, but what’s your unique take on it?
The food landscape has changed dramatically in the last decade. Social media offers an incredible platform to showcase your work. If you’re developing recipes at home, consider sharing them through short-form video on Instagram or TikTok. But if social media isn’t your thing, don’t worry, as platforms like Substack are brilliant for starting a newsletter and honing your writing voice. Even if you don’t have an audience yet, it’s valuable practice to document your kitchen experiments.’
For Cassie’s twist on a bakewell tart, check out her bakewell pudding recipe.
Are there any courses or qualifications that you would recommend?
‘While not essential, a solid catering qualification can be incredibly helpful. As a recipe writer, versatility is key, you’ll need to create everything from quick family meals to complex bakes. A cookery course will give you a strong foundation in culinary techniques, classical recipes, and the science behind cooking – all of which are vital for writing reliable, successful recipes.’
Where do you find inspiration?
‘Inspiration comes from everywhere; restaurants, markets, the seasons, social media, childhood memories, or even dishes my kids enjoy. I often start by thinking about what’s in season and what I’d like to eat at that time of year, then build a dish around that.’
For inspiration about using seasonal produce, check out our seasonal ingredients hub.
Do you read cookbooks and food magazines?
‘All the time – long live print! I’m a cookbook obsessive; I keep a rotating stack by my bed. I have my old favourites (Nigel Slater, Diana Henry and Ottolenghi, to name a few), with many a recipe-stained page, and there’s always a new release to flick through. And I can’t walk through a supermarket without picking up the in-store food magazine.’
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What is your favourite meal of the day?
‘During the week, it’s lunch, especially when it comes straight from the Test Kitchen. But at weekends, it has to be brunch. I love making something indulgent; it feels like such a treat, and I always wake up starving! Shakshuka is a favourite and I also love to bake, so will often start a slow prove sourdough or focaccia on a Thursday to bake Saturday morning.’
Start your weekend the right way with one of our brunch recipes.
Do things ever go wrong in the test kitchen?
‘Absolutely! Things go wrong all the time, but it’s part of the process. I once used salt instead of sugar in a batch of cookies… lesson learned.’
What is the biggest misconception that people have about your job?
‘People are often surprised to learn that our cookery team writes and tests the vast majority of recipes in-house, around 80 each month. We trial every recipe ourselves to ensure it’s foolproof for home-cooks.’
Feeling inspired? Try developing your own dishes with our how to write a recipe guide. Whatever your skillset, we’ve got plenty of insight into kick-starting a career in the food industry:
How to be a food critic
How to be a professional chef
How to be a food stylist
Are you a recipe writer, professional or amateur? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below…
