Nagi Maehashi on the success of RecipeTin Eats

If you’ve never heard of RecipeTin Eats, you’ve probably found and made the recipes without even realizing it. Search for what you want to make for dinner tonight and Nagi Maehashi’s recipes will pop up every time. For what? Well, they are simply good.

The cook, photographer and videographer behind the hit recipe site RecipeTin Eats is so prolific and has honed such an extensive repertoire of “everyday” recipes that it’s impossible to avoid him – even if you wouldn’t want to. TO DO. It is a well-known fact that Nagi Maehashi recipes never fail.

Formerly working in finance, she did everything possible to pursue her passion for food. It started as a blog in 2014 and the website has since amassed a large and dedicated audience, with 500 million views by 2024. Nagi’s talent for recipe development has well and truly taken the internet by storm.

Nagi was born in Japan and her parents are Japanese – her mother, Yumiko, even has her own website, RecipeTin Japan, where she collects the family’s favorite homemade Japanese dishes. In 1981, when Nagi was a child, they emigrated to Australia. The beloved blogger is now based in Sydney, where she is undertaking a $950,000 renovation to her $7 million Hunters Hill home.

Nagi’s recipes are tested as many times as necessary to make them foolproof – she tells us the record is about 89 times. For those who prefer their recipes in book form, her second award-winning cookbook, This eveningwas released recently and broke the record for the highest first week sales for a non-fiction title, with 78,000 copies sold.

As if that wasn’t enough, Nagi launched a food bank in 2021, RecipeTin Meals, in which three full-time chefs prepare meals that are donated to vulnerable people five days a week.

Nagi Maehashi of RecipeTin Eats with her dog Dozer. (Photography: Rob Palmer)

Five minutes with… Nagi Maehashi, founder of RecipeTin Eats

Here, we chat with RecipeTin Eats founder Nagi Maehashi about the release of her new cookbook and dive into all her most asked questions.

Why is your blog called RecipeTin Eats?

“This is one of the questions I get asked the most! I named my website this in homage to those old-fashioned “recipe boxes” in which people, in decades past, kept and stored their handwritten recipes. The irony of being an online platform named after such a retro thing is not lost. on me!

What is the secret to a tasty and frugal meal?

“The cost of living is on everyone’s mind these days. I was really aware of the impact this had on households since Dinner (published October 2022). To keep costs as low as possible, I always recommend looking for recipes using seasonal produce. The cost variations between in-season and out-of-season fresh produce are remarkable and can make all the difference in the success of a dish.

Korean Barbecue Chicken from Nagi Maehashi’s Cookbook Tin Eats Recipe: This evening. (Photograph: Nagi Maehashi)

Is there a dish you’ve created that has proven particularly popular?

“It’s definitely not glamorous or very exciting, but the most popular recipe on my website is baked chicken breast. Can you believe it? I think the reason is that people want to learn, and perfect, the “basics” so that they can experiment more with things that are a little more adventurous. And I’m always happy to help people do that! In fact, it’s one of my favorite things to do.

What was your biggest career highlight?

“I’ve always been most comfortable (outside of the kitchen, of course) behind the keyboard, in my trackies, connecting with readers and food fans from the comfort of my home! But when my first cookbook Dinner was published, and I did many events to promote it, I had the inclination to see people in real life! I get so much pleasure from meeting people who enjoy my website and getting their feedback or personal experience of my recipes. It’s definitely the best part of cookbook writing! »

Thai Beef Noodle Salad from Nagi Maehashi’s Cookbook Tin Eats Recipe: This evening. (Photograph: Nagi Maehashi)

What has been the biggest surprise since leaving your job as an accountant?

“I’ve enjoyed transferring some of the tools I used as a business accountant to running the website, but to be honest it’s such a different life that the two don’t really intersect.

Your dog Dozer has gained a fan base almost as big as you! How did this happen?

“Have you seen it?” I mean…he’s the most beautiful, loving, loyal friend I could ever ask for. I have no doubt in my mind that I would not be where I am today if Dozer wasn’t my sidekick since day one.

What do you do when you don’t know what’s for dinner?

“Worst case scenario – cheese and biccies!” (I will NEVER have cheese in the fridge.) Best case scenario: leftovers from a day of recipe testing in the kitchen! »

Do you have any tips for feeding a crowd inexpensively?

“Absolutely – always shop in season and look for suitable recipes so you can adapt to what’s available. Look at volume versus cost: for example, salmon may be on sale the week shrimp is not, so rather than insisting on serving shrimp, think outside the box.

Strawberry Shortcake from Nagi Maehashi’s Cookbook RecipeTin Eats: tonight. (Photograph: Nagi Maehashi)

Are there any new cooking skills you would like to master?

“There are still so many!” I’m very lucky to work with a Michelin-trained chef, JB Alexandre, for some of my recipe testing, so I always feel like I’m learning new techniques.

When you test a recipe, how do you know if you have succeeded in the recipe?

“Through much trial and error. I will never post a recipe without confirming that it checks all the boxes in terms of flavor and accessibility. I do a lot of testing… I think my record is 89 tries (for My Best Vanilla Cake) – my neighbors, friends and family ate well that week!

Your new cookbook, RecipeTin Eats: tonight just released. What can we expect from it?

“This evening was created to answer the daily dilemma of “What’s for dinner tonight?” » There are literally hundreds of dinner dish options, with an emphasis on ingredients you may already have in the kitchen. I hope this makes everyone’s life easier when it comes to eating fully, healthily and affordably! »

Writer

Rebecca Hooton

Features Editor

Rebecca has 17 years of experience in the magazine industry. She worked as an intern at Cleo while completing a Bachelor of Communications at Western Sydney University. She subsequently held editorial and review roles for titles such as Dolly, before becoming editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Australia. She has since published articles in publications such as ELLE Australia and is currently a features editor for Home Beautiful, Country Style and Inside Out. You’ll probably find her protesting a cottage in the Cotswolds or watching Bluey (with or without her kids).